Research on passive sentence acquisition has found that these non-canonical structures present particular challenges 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 aims to determine whether the two clinical groups demonstrate similar behavior—potentially indicating overlapping syntactic difficulties—or whether their error patterns differ significantly, strongly suggesting distinct underlying mechanisms.

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