So some friends of mine asked me if I'd be interesting in running D&D for a group of 11-14 year olds that are on the spectrum. Does anyone have any experience in doing so and have any advice?
Yes: Speak to the parents and/or teachers about the
particular challenges and behaviors their kids have. Being "on the spectrum" is a very generic statement. The specifics might be helpful to you.
Especially ask how the various kids behave when they are feeling frustrated, and what methods are effective at bringing them back around when they get upset.
And heck, parents ought to want to speak with any adult who is expecting to spend significant time with their kids anyway, right? Introduce yourself, give your contact information.
Heck, I'd settle for advice on running for tweens. The last time I did that, I was one myself!
While I haven't run games for kids on the autism spectrum or with significant ADD, I have run for tweens, so I can offer some thoughts.
1) As new players they may be a bit tentative. They might be engines of drive and creativity or... not. They don't have an idea of what is possible, and depending on the social dynamic of the kids at the table, or how they feel about you, they may be afraid of looking dumb for doing "the wrong thing". While accepting their off-the wall ideas can be good, making sure there are good approaches that are pretty darned obvious can be your friend.
2) If they don't know
you, personally, they may be reluctant to roleplay with you. It may take them a while to feel you are safe to get into a social situation with, so be patient.
3) Some kids pick up rules like lightning, but be prepared to be patient - when you think about it, even a basic combat has many steps in it, and that can be daunting enough that even a smart kid can get a bit whelmed by their own anxiety, if nothing else.
4) Determine what you goals are for play - are you trying to give them something like a "standard D&D game", or do you just want them to have crazy fun? You can help set them up for future success by how you present things either way. When you are deviating from the written rules, or filling in a gap, tell them. When you are sticking to the rules, tell them. "By the rules, the DC for that is going to be really high" or "Well, that's not covered by the rules, but it sounds cool, so let's say it works this way..." can be your friends.
4a) Avoid flat, "No, that won't work" answers. Never, ever, tell them their ideas are stupid, crazy, or bad. A better approach would be, "That would be really hard, and it might hurt your character if you fail," style explanations.
4b) If they seem stuck, pick a character who has appropriate skills, and ask them to make an appropriate roll to get a hint, and present it as something the character would know based on their class, background, etc. Rotate who you pick for hints.