Supporting Autistic Students with Group Work

Group work is an important part of learning and classroom education; however, working in groups can be challenging for autistic students. They may have difficulty with:

• processing oral information
• following multistep directions
• the assignment or instructions may be on one sheet for the group to share; the autistic student may not ask to see it
• unspoken social rules
• understanding expectations
• coping with sensory stressors
• managing their anxiety about working with others
• social communication

Learning to do group work can help develop and reinforce important executive function skills such as breaking complex tasks into simpler steps, time management, organizing materials and ideas and refining understanding through discussions. This supports problem solving, which is an essential life skill.

What are the barriers with group work?

Group work requires:

• Rapid back-and-forth conversation
• Interpreting tone and body language
• Flexible thinking
• Dividing tasks independently
• Managing deadlines

Autistic students need clear, structured expectations which give predictability in order to be successful. Group work, though, is often socially layered and unclear. Structure will support understanding and clarity.

What can we do to make group work successful?

Group Selection/Allocation

Allocating the group rather than having students choose their own groups often works better as the autistic student may have difficulty finding a group or find it stressful, and the teacher will have the best knowledge of the skills and strengths of their students.

Teachers should also monitor group dynamics once a group is assigned. One student may dominate the discussion, the autistic student may be left out but not say anything, or there may be an unequal division of labor. These dynamics can often be eliminated with structure and assigned roles.

Provide Structure

Explicit structure is one of the most successful ways to ensure successful group work. We can do this by:

1. Creating a rubric – list the important elements expected in the assignment for everyone in the group to be able to check off as completed.
2. Setting group rules – with input from students, set rules for the group so everyone knows what is allowed socially. Post the rules so there are visual reminders.
3. Teaching the social rules – these will include joining the group, giving an opinion, disagreeing with someone, communicating ideas effectively, task breakdown, listening to others, asking a question to check clarification, supporting others, problem solving, and taking responsibility for one’s own part in the project.
4. Teaching a social skill to the entire class – take 10 minutes once a week before assigning group work to teach a social skill mentioned in point #3 to the class. Most students need this instruction.

Also use supports such as:

• Visual timelines
• Step-by-step checklists
• Scheduled progress check-ins
• Clear mini-deadlines

These supports help with planning and organization, and also keep a group project manageable and structured.

Assign Roles

Unstructured collaboration can lead to social exclusion. The teacher can pre-assign the roles based on a student’s strength. Assigning roles can reduce the stress of negotiation and increase accountability. Some of the roles might be:

• Research lead
• Writer/editor
• Slide designer
• Presenter
• Time manager

Autistic students can be taught how to identify their key strengths so they can use them effectively within different group settings. Being able to do this will help the student have more clarity on how they can contribute effectively to the group. They will know what to do when they work again in groups in the future.

Offer Accommodations in Group Work

Offer different methods of communication, collaboration and presentation. Some ideas might be:

• having meetings before the group work begins to brief and prepare for upcoming group work.
• group video presentations rather than oral presentations.
• providing alternatives to students who may not be able to demonstrate their knowledge effectively in a group setting. Ex. Our autistic daughter gave a presentation via a PowerPoint slide show that incorporated her interest in Playmobil figurines and photography to tell a story and demonstrate her knowledge.

Use Written Collaborative Tools

Group discussions can be fast-paced and hard to follow. Written communication allows more processing time and reduces the social pressure of speaking in the moment. Encourage the use of:

• Shared digital documents
• Written meeting summaries
• Clear task lists
• Group chat logs for tracking ideas

Support Self-Advocacy Skills

Working in a group can provide a chance for autistic students to practice self-advocacy. Help them work on using phrases such as:

• I need more time to think.
• I would like to work on ___________.
• This is the role I would like to do.
• I need a break.
• Can we write this down?
• Can we clarify who is doing what?

While group work is a fundamental aspect of education, fostering collaboration, communication, and social skills, it can present challenges for autistic students who need structure and predictability. Collaboration often relies on unspoken expectations, which are difficult for autistic students to follow.

When structure, defined roles, written clarity, and adult guidance become a part of group work, it becomes predictable and more manageable. Autistic students have many strengths to contribute such as strong research skills, detail focus, memory, creativity, and reliability.

With the right tools, preparation and support, collaborative work can be a great learning experience and opportunity for growth and development for autistic students. Be sure to include them in this valuable learning environment.

References

Dubie, M. (2019). Group Work in a General Education Classroom for Students with ASD. Indiana Resource Center for Autism

(February 28, 2026). Group Projects and Autism: A Guide for Parents & Teachers. True Progress Therapy

Kim, Y. (February 4, 2025). Teaching Group Work to Individuals with Autism. Healis Autism Centre