Components of task design help children with autism get information from and gain access to instructional materials and activities. When we look at task design, we think of three components.

Organization: How will the materials, overall appearance, and flow of the task be visually apparent? Work space should be organized to minimize distraction and sensory stimuli and allow the child to focus on the task at hand. Visual organization for tasks may include self-contained tasks (all secured), clarifying the flow of work (left to right, top to bottom), materials individually secured so only one item can be taken at a time, etc.

Salience: How will the key concepts and critical elements be made visually clear and evident? Some ways of increasing salience include minimization of the number of materials, highlighting or exaggerating crucial information, labeling, graphics, color keys, etc.

Visual Instructions: How will the individual know what to do by looking at the task? Instructions can be conveyed through the use of jigs (outlines, cutouts, pictures), through models or samples, via step-by-step models or text, by a directions key, or by written lists of instructions.