Abstract
This systematic review analyzes the differential use of gestures in learning by children with intellectual disability (ID) compared to typically developing ones (TD). Eleven studies published between 2000 and 2020 fulfilled the inclusion criteria (N = 364 participants). The results identify three key elements: (1) Children with ID accompany their spoken language with more gestures than TD children; (2) Specifically, they produce more iconic gestures that provide access to the conceptualization process and understanding in students with ID; (3) Children with ID rely on gesture more than TD children to carry meaning (i.e., produce unimodal gestural utterances without accompanying speech). Possible implications for teaching and guidelines for future research are proposed.