Ashley Peterman

Fine and gross motor development is often delayed in children with autism, and early research has shown preschool is a crucial time for growth in motor skills. Previous research indicates these delays will persist with age if early intervention is not implemented. There is a small body of evidence thus far related to creating and promoting opportunities for fine and gross motor development in general education classrooms for children with autism, and I add to that research here. This study repurposed video data from Project Engage, which originally analyzed adult interaction and child engagement in the preschool classroom, to analyze the classroom environment in comparison to the ECERS-3 checklist. I observed four children with autism, each with four sets of videos in their respective classrooms, following their engagement in fine and gross motor activities in free play in the preschool classroom. In research involving children with autism, the area of interest has largely been socioemotional development and speech development. The purpose of this study is to begin to better understand how to promote fine and gross motor development beyond a clinical setting. Through extensive video analysis, it is clear that organization and labels encourage self-help, while teacher zoning, rotation of activities, and availability of a variety of sensory-stimulating activities increase child engagement during free-play, maximizing fine and gross motor skill development. Further research on general education classroom environments strategically designed to create more opportunities for these skills has the potential to greatly benefit young children with autism and increase independence.