Research on passive sentence acquisition has found these non-canonical structures to be particularly challenging in both typical and atypical language development due to their syntactic complexity. My research project investigates how monolingual Italian-speaking children with syntactic Developmental Language Disorder (SyDLD) and those with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Language Impairment (ASD-LI) comprehend and produce different types of Italian passive constructions. The study seeks to determine whether the two clinical groups behave similarly — possibly pointing to overlapping syntactic difficulties — or whether their error patterns diverge, strongly suggesting different underlying mechanisms.

The project investigates how plurilingual practices, principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and metapragmatic reflection activities can promote inclusion, participation, and the development of linguistic-communicative competence among international students enrolled in Italian Language and Culture Courses at the University for Foreigners of Perugia.
Through an action-research approach, in courses targeting different groups (FAMI projects, regular courses, MarcoPolo courses, online courses, etc.), the project analyzes the educational and socio-affective impact of coordinated interventions: UDL-based learning paths to make input and tasks accessible to students with different cognitive styles and needs; plurilingual and translanguaging tasks to enhance learners’ native languages and integrate them into the process of learning Italian; intercultural metapragmatic analysis activities aimed at developing awareness of Italian sociopragmatic norms and the multilingual interactions that characterize international and multicultural environments.