This article describes the use of visual schedules to promote independent play in preschoolers with autism.

Children who cannot play may have difficulty adjusting to preschool environments. Consequently, visual schedules have been used to help children develop play skills, make play choices, access more play areas in the classroom, and ultimately increase independent playtime. The investigators combined visual schedules with correspondence training (matching action to picture) to increase play in an inclusive classroom setting. At the end of the study, all four children in the study demonstrated increased on-task and play behavior. The authors conclude that visual schedules can be used to promote independence in autistic children who have been integrated into a typical classroom.