Facilitated Communication and Autism Ranking:

Audience

The supporters of facilitated communication believe that it is suitable for a range of people with severe communication impairments. For example, according to the Ann McDonald Centre website, accessed on 15 March 2017,

“Use of facilitated communication is not restricted to any specific age or any diagnostic group. It’s been used successfully by people with diagnoses including autism, Down syndrome, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy and acquired brain damage. We’d say it was worth trying for anybody who isn’t speaking, or who isn’t speaking roughly around the level of their peers (because we do have clients who have some speech – just not enough for their needs) who has not been able to use other communication strategies (e.g. hand signs, hand writing, electronic communication devices) fluently and effectively”.

“Facilitated communication training is most useful for people with severe communication impairments who are not able to use their hands effectively … and who need to use easily-portable communication aids”.

Updated

16 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 May 2017

Next Review

01 Aug 2023