Reading Comprehension Instruction for Students with ASD- A Review of the Literature from 2008 - 2020

Abstract Due to constructs as theoretical explanations (Theory of Mind, Weak Central Coherence, Executive Functioning), reading comprehension has been identified as a notable deficit for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The purpose of this literature review is: (1) to examine, summarize, and analyze the existing published literature on reading comprehension instruction for students with ASD between 2008-2020 with an emphasis on evidence-based practices, (2) to examine the potential influences of the above three constructs, and (3) to provide teachers evidence-based practices that might enhance the reading comprehension skills of students with ASD participating in the general education curriculum. Of the selected twenty nine articles (Research-to-Practice and Empirical), twenty-eight articles examined at least one or more evidence-based strategies as described by Wong et al., (2015) and Steinbrenner et al., (2020). Implications for future research and practice are briefly discussed. Keywords: autism literature review, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), cognitive factors, reading comprehension literature review