Group-based Early Start Denver Model: An educational approach for pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Italian preschools

Resumen

Research on the implementation of evidence-based-practices in education has increasingly focused
on identifying models for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that can be adaptable in
preschools. This article outlines the main features of the Group-based Early Start Denver Model
(G-ESDM), an intervention for children with ASD that has gained prominence in recent years (Vivanti,
Duncan, Dawson, Rogers, 2017). Based on the philosophy, principles and strategies of the
Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), the G-ESDM is a manualized evidence-based early intervention
that includes a set of strategies to adapt to the physical and social learning environment in order
to support pupil participation in classroom activities and the school community at large.
While the presence of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Italian school settings represents
a challenge for both special education scholars and teachers which has endorsed the paradigm
of full inclusion, some reflections on the possibility of promoting the adoption of the
G-ESDM in Italian preschools are required. This article outlines the main features of the G-ESDM
models and concludes by illustrating a possible research itinerary for its implementation in the
Italian educational system.