What is the theory behind it?

Children with autism frequently have trouble paying attention to, adapting to, and understanding auditory input. They also tend to have strengths in rote memory and the ability to understand visual information ⁽⁶⁾. Visual schedules take advantage of these strengths by efficiently communicating information that allows children to better predict and plan within their environment ^{(2, 3, 7)}. Some children with autism benefit from the use of computers to generate and present visual schedules, and may prefer getting visual schedule information directly from a computer rather than from a person ⁽⁸⁾.

Most behavioral problems associated with children with autism seem to stem from poor communication ⁽²⁾. While visual schedules can be useful at home, they may be especially useful for children transitioning into a school environment ^{(4, 7)}. Visual schedules facilitate communication and therefore may minimize behavioral problems ^{(3, 4)}.