I find it far more interesting that the NT kids shunned the Robot when it only danced all the time, they shunned as if it was an autistic kid. It showed that it is not just that autistic kids withdraw but that NT kids shun autistics. They didn't say that in the article.
As for helping autistic kids, no that won't happen. They are more likely to disassemble it and make it into a Transformer.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STQ3nhXuuEM[/youtube]