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Because social communication impairment is a defining feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making the right decision regarding language use for bilingual families of children with ASD is pertinent. The present review evaluated eight studies identified as addressing bilingual language development in 182 children with ASD and issues/ perceptions of bilingualism in 62 parents of children with ASD. Studies were summarized in terms of participants, languages spoken and communication level, assessment/ intervention, instruments, main findings, and evidence of bilingual language development. Findings suggested bilingualism does not have a negative impact on language development for children with ASD, but the majority of parents reported that practitioners predominantly advised against providing a bilingual environment. Evidence-based recommendations regarding the adoption of bilingualism for families of children with ASD are discussed.

With systematic instruction, children with ASD and severe communication impairment can learn to use an iPad-based SGD to complete multi-step communication sequences that involve requesting and social communication functions.

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This literature base is considered promising due to the large number of conclusive studies and the replication of intervention approaches.

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The present study involved comparing the acquisition of multi-step requesting and social communication across three AAC options: manual signing (MS), picture exchange (PE), and speech-generating devices (SGDs). Preference for each option was also assessed. The participants were two children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) who had previously been taught to use each option to request preferred items. Intervention was implemented in an alternating-treatments design. During baseline, participants demonstrated low levels of correct communicative responding. With intervention, both participants learned the target responses (two- and three-step requesting responses, greetings, answering questions, and social etiquette responses) to varying levels of proficiency with each communication option. One participant demonstrated a preference for using the SGD and the other preferred PE. The importance of examining preferences for using one AAC option over others is discussed.