Why friendship and play are good for your child

Play and friendships help your child with disability learn all kinds of skills and abilities. After all, children are fantastic teachers of other children. And playing with other kids is great just for helping your child feel good about herself.

Social-emotional development: Play and friendships help your child learn about sharing, cooperating, working out what other people are feeling and making friends with other children.

Friends are fun and can be caring too. Your child will get to know that he can rely on other children for support.

Communication: By being with other kids, your child can learn new ways of talking, listening and communicating. She can hear and see how other kids 'use their words' to say what they want and need when they're together. And she can practise using her words too. 

More here:

http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/disabilities_play_and_friendship.html