Educational Research for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Recommendations for Music Education

While a significant body of literature is available offering recommendations for teaching music to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a lack of supporting empirical research. The purpose of this literature review was to examine empirical research conducted between 2013–2019 that studied best practices for teaching students with ASD in general education settings and how this research could inform future lines of inquiry in the field of music education. These findings are examined using the tenets of Disability Studies in Education. I reviewed 47 publications from general education that provided empirical support for best practices for teaching students with ASD. Findings are organized in four sections: “Teacher-Directed Approaches to Instruction,” “Intervention Tools,” “Peer-Mediated Instruction,” and “The Autistic Voice.” Examining this literature provides insights into unique research methods pertaining to data collection with students with ASD and future research related to instruction and support for students with ASD in music contexts.