A back door approach to autism and AAC

Abstract

The conventional view is that most individuals with autism or pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) have no significant motor impairments but do have severe intellectual disabilities. These assumptions impact the nature and types of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions that are typically provided, which tend to be narrowly focused on basic, functional communication skills such as requesting. However, recent research has provided evidence that challenges these assumptions and suggests the potential of intervention approaches targeting motor, language, and literacy development. The author encourages practitioners and researchers to examine current assumptions about autism and to invent and investigate new ways to support people with autism to communicate.