Cooperation and Shared Control in Learners with Autism

Respecting a learner's autonomy is fundamental to effective and ethical support, to ensure their needs, preferences and rights are genuinely valued. For individuals on the autism spectrum, this principle is put into practice by finding the right balance between cooperation and shared control—helping learners participate meaningfully in activities while genuinely empowering them with choices and autonomy.

Why Cooperation Matters

Cooperation is not about compliance. Compliance emphasizes obedience, immediate response to instructions, or “just do what you’re told to do”. Cooperation, on the other hand, reflects a learner’s active willingness to participate in learning activities.

Cooperation encourages learners to engage meaningfully with their environment and therapists, fostering independence, nurturing emotional well-being, aligning with ethical and person-centered practices. Cooperation builds positive relationships based on mutual respect and trust. For learners on the autism spectrum, this skill supports:

• Communication using multiple modalities (e.g., wants, needs, feelings, refusal)

• Independent daily living skills (e.g., getting dressed, brushing teeth, tidying up)

• School success (e.g., following group instructions, cooperating with peers)

• Social relationships (e.g., taking turns, listening, sharing ideas)

When cooperation is taught through mutual respect, learners quickly grasp two crucial ideas: their voice matters, and working with others can be enjoyable, not stressful.

Shared Control: A Step Beyond Cooperation

Shared control is about balancing adult guidance with learners choice, while still keeping structure and boundaries clear. Instead of adults always leading, learners are invited to take part in decisions. This doesn’t mean “letting the learner do whatever they want,” but rather blending structure with autonomy. For example:

• Choosing between two activities (e.g., “Do you want to play with animals or swing?”)

• Having a say in the sequence of tasks (e.g., “Should we do puzzles first or pasting?”)

• Deciding how a routine will look (e.g., “Do you want to brush teeth before or after putting on your pyjamas?”)

• Setting up a learning activity but allowing the learner to choose which toy or material to use

• During dressing routine, the learner selects between two clothing options while the therapist guides the routine

A collaborative relationship between learners and therapists has been proven to improve engagement and motivation in learners with autism.

This approach is pivotal to foster a collaborative relationship between learners and therapists, and has been demonstrated to improve engagement and motivation in learners with autism. This approach also creates a safe environment where learners are active participants, not passive learners.

Balancing Cooperation and Shared Control

When cooperation and shared control are practised consistently, learners:

• Experience less resistance during transitions or tasks because they feel they have a say and are more willing to participate

• Are more motivated because the choices connect directly to their preferences, thus making learning meaningful for them

• Build independence as they practise decision-making, problem-solving, and self-advocacy through making choices and negotiating

• Strengthen relationships with parents, therapists, and peers through mutual respect

  
  

Instead of power struggles, everyday routines become opportunities for teamwork.

Strategies for Balancing Cooperation and Shared Control

We have listed some strategies we hope our readers will find helpful when balancing cooperation and shared control with their children on the spectrum.

1. Offer meaningful choices within boundaries – Provide choices that are functionally meaningful to the learner, e.g., “We need to practise writing. Do you want to use a marker or a pencil?” “You need to put on your shoes. Do you want the red or the blue pair?” “It’s time for reading. Would you like to read at the table or on the sofa?”

2. Use child-led play – Spend time joining the learner’s play instead of always directing. Once engagement is strong, embed teaching moments.

3. Alternate control – Take turns leading play and learning activities. One turn the therapist chooses, the next turn the learner decides.

4. Embed preferences into learning – If a learner loves animals, use them for counting, sorting, or turn-taking activities.

5. Use First-then language – “First we tidy up, then we play outside.” This sets clear expectations while keeping motivation high.

6. Acknowledge and reinforce choices and cooperation – Celebrate the small wins and provide positive reinforcement when the learner makes a choice, cooperates, or negotiates respectfully.

7. Stay flexible but consistent – Maintain boundaries, but allow room for negotiation.

Conclusion

As practitioners of ABA, we believe that cooperation and shared control are not just skills—they are pathways to independence, respect, and joy. By giving children a voice in their own learning and daily routines and focusing on collaborative relationships instead of mere compliance, we nurture trust and build the foundation for lifelong social and emotional growth.

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Written by: Belinda Phang, QASP-S (Program Supervisor)

Edited by: Raja Nishah