Visual Schedules and Autism Ranking:

Key Features

Visual schedules (also known as daily schedules, across-task schedules, within-task schedules or mini-schedules) are a type of visual prompt used to help autistic individuals to predict or understand upcoming events.

Visual schedules use pictures to show which activities will occur and in what sequence. A visual schedule can be created using photographs, pictures, written words, physical objects or any combination of these items. The actual materials used may depend upon the individual’s abilities as well as on what the schedule maker has available. Schedules can be put into notebooks, onto a wall or schedule board or onto a computer.

A daily or across-task schedule shows the individual all of the activities he or she will undertake during a single day. A within-task or mini-schedule shows the individual all of the steps he or she needs to take to complete a specific activity, such as eating a meal.

Visual schedules can be used between routines (such as moving from a classroom to a physical education setting) or within the student’s daily routines (such as moving from shaving to brushing teeth during a hygiene activity).

Visual schedules are usually created by a teacher or parent who then teaches the child how to use them. The teacher or parent may use a range of behavioural techniques (physical or verbal prompts and/or praise and rewards) to encourage the child to use the schedules. Over time, the teacher or parent may reduce the support they provide so that the child is able to use the schedules by themselves. Eventually the child may learn to create their own schedules.

Visual schedules are sometimes used alongside other interventions (such as video modeling) or within multi-component programmes (such as the SPELL programme and the TEACCH programme).

Updated

17 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 Nov 2017

Next Review

01 Feb 2024