CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
One of the most outstanding characteristics of the
a u tistic child is his gross language d eficit, involving
poor comprehension of language and incorrect u tilizatio n of
language form. This is demonstrated in his use of echolalia,
pronominal reversal, concrete ideation, and incorrect
grammatical structure. Throughout the lite ra tu re, many of
these children have been observed to exhibit unusual musical
ab ility and in terest, This paper presents a pilot program,
based on the hypothesis that specific music therapy can be
an effective means of teaching speech to au tistic children.