Create a calming environment. Individuals who suffer from autism often struggle to maintain focus when distracted. To ensure that they can focus on the task at hand, create a calm, quiet environment. Depending on the severity of the autistic individual's condition, you may want to turn your piano away from windows or dim the lights.
Break the learning down. If the autistic learner becomes overwhelmed, he will likely shut down. Avoid this by breaking down the learning process and only presenting him with one manageable piece at a time.
Focus on chord groupings. Through the study of chords, you allow the learner to quickly create rich, full-bodied sound. Move through single note learning as quickly as possible, and move on to chords so that the learner can feel a sense of accomplishment.
Teach by ear as much as possible. As Autism Piano Express reports, deciphering musical notation can sometimes be overwhelming to autistic learners, as reading music requires them to focus on a number of stimuli. If your leaner seems to struggle with reading and playing simultaneously, teach him by ear as much as possible.
Allow for self-expression. Many autistic people possess strong musical gifts. Allow your learner the opportunity to show his hidden talent by giving him time to express himself musically whenever possible. You may find that when given the piano keyboard as an outlet, the autistic individual is able to express emotions that would otherwise remain hidden.