Twenty-one students with autism, ages 6-20, were taught to use facilitated communication to unlock their ideas and communicate through typing. Facilitated communication involves physical and emotional support for typing or pointing at letters, helping students maintain focus, and fading physical support. Subjects revealed unexpected literacy and…

This case study describes Rosemary Crossley's facilitated communication method, which enables certain autistic people to communicate via an electronic device. Controversies surrounding the method and challenges to assumptions about autism are explored. (SK)