Repair Strategies Used by Elementary-Age Beginning Communicators With Autism

Abstract

This descriptive study extends previous studies on communication repairs by (a) involving elementary-age children With autism Who are prelinguistic to emergent one-Word communicators and (b) examining repair strategies in terms of the relationships betWeen the conventionality and functionality of communication forms and the type of breakdoWn. Communication initiations and repairs emitted by three students With autism Were observed in natural settings in Which communication breakdoWns Were intentionally introduced. The students repaired almost all the breakdoWns regardless of type. Furthermore, they repaired communication breakdoWns effectively by adding semantic categories. They Were likely to adjust their repair strategies according to the social meaning of “Without attention.” When they repaired communication breakdoWns by modifications, they Were more likely to use less-conventional forms. The results are discussed in relation to interventions in communication competence.