NEW WORDS - THE COMMUNICATION OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM

People with autism have a variety of communication difficulties that have been assumed to be related to cognitive deficits. The communication difficulties include an inability to speak words, speaking with echolalia or repetition of words or phrases previously heard, pronomial reversals, seeming inattentiveness, problems with social interaction, and lack of responsiveness to external events. This study reports on the effects of a method called facilitated communication in helping students with autism to unlock their ideas and to communicate through typing. The 21 students in this study reveal unexpected literacy and numeracy skills. The content and form of their communication challenges traditional assumptions about autism, especially the ability of people with autism to analyze and use language. © 1991, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.