An advocate and enabler to ensure the child is included and not excluded

The teaching assistant operates within an important sphere of influence enabling the learner with ASD to understand the social demands within the classroom and beyond, encouraging peer acceptance and helping the learner to understand what the lesson involves and how he or she can participate in the lesson.

The pupils’ perception of the teaching assistant’s role was intrinsic to the relationship. (OFSTED,2003: 15)

There is also a danger that the learner who has ASD will become reliant upon the teaching assistants as a peer group because his or her age-appropriate peers are not as accommodating as adults who are being paid to listen.