Småbørn i interaktion: En undersøgelse af socialt udviklingspotentiale og muligheder for interaktion for småbørn med autisme i forskellige pædagogiske og organisatoriske miljøer.

The objective of this dissertation is to identify learning and development opportunities for children with autism in and via
interaction and creation of relations with peers. In addition to this, the study has two knowledge ambitions: To gain more insight into the social interaction between children with autism and to elucidate the opportunities, conditions and obstacles in different pedagogical contexts for the learning and development of children with autism in social interaction and creation of relations.

The study shows that children with autism have better learning and development opportunities than previous research in this area has shown. They have sequences (although short) where they ask and answer each other questions, while some make up fantasy stories in their play. They can concentrate on and coordinate with each other as well as take turns at expressing themselves verbally or non-verbally at the right times. However, the observations in the study show that the practical and motor skills of children are being developed, while the children's social potential is often overlooked by the staff.
Especially three categories are crucial for the children's opportunity for interaction:  1 child carers’ views on disability and development; 2. the mental and professional context of child carers; and 3. the physical and organisational context.
1. Child carers’ views on disability and development are described as being protective or relational. At special needs institutions and in special needs groups, the children are primarily met by the protective pedagogy that proves to be a hindrance for their possibilities to interact, because the children are almost automatically protected from stimuli; physically and socially. The pedagogical understanding of learning is based on the adult-child relationship and not on the possibility that children can learn in children’s communities. Child carers are more reactive than proactive in relation to supporting the children in their interaction. For example, rather than observing and actively supporting the children in creating relationships, the child carers prioritise working on their notebooks used for parent/teacher communication, other paperwork or cleaning up while there are no conflicts between the children. In the special needs groups, the same view on disability and development is recognised, but there is also an intention to include the autistic children who function the best among the other children. However, in practice, the children are only offered the opportunity to interact with adult support to a limited degree. In the regular daycare centres, the approach is relational and the staff support the children in their creation of relationships, but there are also areas that appear to be passive.
The psychological and professional context is crucial in determining what academic environment is developed. The study points out the challenge in forming professional communities that are challenged by discussions about professional boundaries, responsibility and rights to the physical space at the daycare centres. Child carers for children with special needs often feel isolated. The daycare centres work best when the child carers form part of a working community in relation to the child, which is supported at those groups or institutions that have been upgraded. At institutions that always have several children with mental disabilities, knowledge and experience are accumulated, but in special needs institutions it can be a challenge to maintain an idea of how a typical child develops.
Compared to the physical and organisational context, it is very important that there is a place where children with autism can meet other children. In many places, children with autism (and the related socio-emotional difficulties) have to climb stairs, walk down corridors, open closed doors etc. in order to get to the common room. Special-needs institutions protect children more than they incite to interaction, while special-needs places, and most of all integrated individual places, focus on integrating children with autism with the other children.

This study is a cross-sectional study with both ethnographic and views study features.
The researcher conducts formal and structured individual interviews and informal conversations with social pedagogues about their working day and their views. Subsequently, some parents and social pedagogues fill out a questionnaire about the children’s language development. The children are recorded on video in their pedagogical contexts, and the study draws on the ETIBA study and diagnosis papers.

Fisker, T. B. (2009). Småbørn i interaktion: En undersøgelse af socialt udviklingspotentiale og muligheder for interaktion for småbørn med autisme i forskellige pædagogiske og organisatoriske miljøer. København: Danmarks Pædagogiske Universitetsskole, Aarhus Universitet.

Fisker, T. B (2010). Småbørn i interaktion : En undersøgelse af socialt udviklingspotentiale og muligheder for interaktion for småbørn med autisme i forskellige pædagogiske og organisatoriske miljøer. København, Danmarks Pædagogiske Universitetsskole, Aahus Universitet.