Issues in Applied Linguistics

This single-case study uses conversation analysis (CA) to investigate some oj the interactional difficulties faced by children with Asperger's Syndrome (AS). Through an analysis of a single telephone conversation between an 8-year-old AS child and an adult and a peel; it shows the level oj interactional complexity required in managing talk. It argues that although the AS child is, on one level, successful in phoning her friend to ask a question, the success of the illteraction relies in part on the other interactants and their willingness to accommodate her different conversational norms. The study demonstrates how CA can be a useful tool for understanding some oj the interactional difficulties faced by AS children and adults alike.