Background and aims: Given that problems with social interaction and communication are defining features of autism spectrum disorder, it stands to reason that individuals with autism spectrum disorder have difficulties in conversation. There is a growing body of research on the conversation skills of individuals with autism spectrum disorder, including research conducted to compare these skills to those of typically developing individuals and those with other disabilities. Such comparisons may offer insight into the extent to which conversational skills may be deficient and whether deficits are unique to a particular diagnostic group. Main contribution: This review provides an examination of comparative studies of pragmatic aspects of conversation that included individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Only a small number of consistent findings emerged from the analysis. Groups with autism spectrum disorder find it difficult to stay on topic and provide novel, relevant information. They also tend to perseverate more and initiate and respond less during conversation but, contrary to expectation, similar numbers of turns were offered to partners, and there was little difference in the way communication breakdowns were repaired or clarified. There was a contradictory finding on the use of eye gaze. Conclusions and implications: Some consistent findings were reported but overall, fewer than expected between group differences were found. The fragmented nature of the research and inconsistent operational definitions of variables measured made analysis problematic. Further research and replication of studies is recommended before definitive conclusions can be drawn.

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Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have difficulties acquiring social skills without direct intervention. This article provides a review of research on the use of video modelling and scripts to improve the verbal conversational skills of individuals with ASD. The studies reviewed included participants with a diagnosis of ASD and reported empirical data on some aspect of verbal conversation. Percentage of nonoverlapping data and percentage exceeding the mean metrics were calculated for each study and compared. Maintenance and generalisation data were also extracted. The results suggest that scripted interventions may be as effective as video modelling interventions and audio scripts may be more effective than visual scripts. Most studies focussed on relatively simple aspects of conversation such as initiating or responding. Nevertheless, the body of research is limited and further studies are needed to clarify these findings. Recommendations for future research and the limitations of this review are discussed.

Scripts in written or auditory form have been used to teach conversational skills to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but with the proliferation of handheld tablet devices the scope to combine these 2 formats has broadened. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate if a script-based intervention, presented on an iPad conversational app, would be effective in teaching basic conversation skills within a school setting. A multiple baseline with probe design across scripts was employed to teach a student with ASD on-topic responses. Experimental control was demonstrated across 2 of the 3 baselines. Surprisingly, a substantial degree of generalisation was evident, which may have compromised demonstration of experimental control. This app may be a practical and effective tool for teaching on-topic responses to an individual with ASD, and further research is warranted.