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Updated: Jul 29, 2026

Assessment of Social Interaction Behaviors
Published on: February 25, 2011
Environmental supports to enhance social-communication
1Autism Institute, Essex, MA 01929, USA.
Abstract:
"Environmental support" is a general term used to define the systematic use of explicit visual and/or social cues to clarify meaning for children with autism. Environmental supports can serve as a compensatory means to structure and enhance language understanding, social engagement, and social-communicative interactions. The unique and atypical developmental patterns associated with autism provide the rationale for the use of two environmental supports: visually cued instruction and modified sociolinguistic input. Using empirical research, multiple examples of environmental supports to enhance social-communication are provided.
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