The project ACTE (Autism in Context: Theory and Experience) started in 2015 at the Université libre de Bruxelles. Our main
objective is to contribute to a better understanding of the nature and origins of communication difficulties and language delays in
Autism Spectrum Disorder. We bring together investigation techniques from cognitive psychology and linguistics within an ecological
research program, whose experimental dimension is geared towards specific sensibilities of children and adults with autism. Current
research topics of our team include:· The role of perspective-taking in word learning by young children with autism;· The impact
of bilingualism on cognitive and linguistic development in autism;· The management of discourse and conversation by adolescents
and adults with autism;· The comprehension of deception and non-literal language in autism;· The role of sleep disorders in
language acquisition and emotional regulation in autism;· Multimodal perception in autism.Across all modules of the ACTE project, we
take into account the great heterogeneity that characterises the autism spectrum. Whenever possible, we will also attempt to gain
insight to children's individual progression and evolution, by designing longitudinal studies.