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If your child is diagnosed with Autism and does not have conversational spoken language (that is, they are nonspeaking or minimally speaking), we believe they can learn to type to communicate.

Nonspeaking children and adults with other conditions, including Cerebral Palsy, Angelman Syndrome, and Down Syndrome, have been taught to type. As long as the individual can lift their arm and move it side to side, we would encourage you to try C4A Academy.

Dyspraxia and apraxia are generally used as synonyms and refer to a motor planning disorder that makes it difficult for individuals to successfully initiate and complete motor movements “on demand.” For example, many nonspeakers smile normally until asked to do so for a photo.

Studies show how most people with autism have dyspraxia, a motor planning disorder in which a person cannot move parts of their body in the manner they want. The same dysfunction that prevents them from speaking, prevents them from typing without being taught. They need to learn how to use gross motor movements to select the letters, first from large targets on stencils before moving to smaller ones on a letterboard and keyboard.

Elizabeth started to learn when she was five years old and says she could have started when she was four. And please know it’s never too late for a nonspeaker to learn how to type.

There is a lot you can do to prepare younger children for learning to type to communicate. Firstly, please keep reading a wide variety of books to your child. If you run your finger under the words, it will help build eye coordination and teach reading skills. You can also do purposeful motor exercises that are found on our partner, SPELLERS, website. It is also possible to teach children as young as 2 years old to reliably use a yes/no board so that they have some means of communicating preferences.

Your child’s intelligence and academic knowledge has been measured through testing that requires planned motor movements including speaking or pointing to the answers. However, studies show most people with autism have dyspraxia, or difficulty with planned motor movements, and cannot respond appropriately to these tests. In our experience, nonspeaking children know their alphabet: many have taught themselves to read, in fact, at very early ages.

To start, you’ll only need letter stencils, an appropriate spelling lesson, a pencil and paper.

Spelling lessons are formatted with a variety of kinds of questions. These questions are constructed to guide you through the process of teaching your nonspeaker first the motor skills to simply get to the correct letters and then, over time, to be able to choose words from their own head and successfully get to the letters of their choice.

Absolutely! Typing for communication addresses only the ability to fully communicate language. Other therapies can address other issues many nonspeakers have such as fine motor skills, gross motor difficulties, learning to control dysregulated bodies so they can sit and learn, and so forth.

We always encourage families to get private instruction if that is financially and logistically possible for them. Please see our Find a Practitioner section for more information. Even if you are able to see a practitioner, we believe you will still find these videos helpful on your journey to become a Communication Partner.

There is no way to predict how long it may take a nonspeaker to learn to type to communicate. Every person has different challenges, including more and less severe motor and attention issues. And, just like learning a sport, it also depends on how much you practice. Please be patient and don’t feel rushed to get to a letterboard and keyboard: this is a joyous journey and not a sprint to the finish line Also, please be aware that some typers may never have the motor control to type on a keyboard.

No one knows for sure what the relationship is between a nonspeaker and their CP, but certainly, a trained CP provides the nonspeaker with the regulation and confidence to overcome dyspraxia. More than that, a trained CP knows how and when to coach and when not to coach. Once a nonspeaker is able to communicate with multiple CPs, it becomes easier and easier to talk with new CPs, even those with little or no training.

C4A Academy has a private Facebook community you can join, where you can pose questions to other members, with support from a moderator. We also have our Ask an Expert section where you can ask a question privately. We plan to expand our support capabilities over time. Please reach out if you need help. We are here for you!

AAC includes anything that helps a human being to communicate, including stencils, letterboards, and keyboards, including on an iPad or laptop.

All communication should be valued and many nonspeakers use multiple modalities. Our mission to teach nonspeakers to type comes from Elizabeth: “26 letters are all I need.” AAC devices with words and pictures limit what the user can communicate. The alphabet opens up the whole world for discussion.

No! Please respect your nonspeaker’s choice of ACC. Also, be aware that many nonspeakers like to use different devices under different circumstances. For example, some prefer the letterboard for conversation, because it’s faster, but prefer a keyboard for work. The choice of devices should be left to them!

The term “nonspeaker” is not accurate for most people with Autism who type to communicate. Most of them can speak some words and phrases, which we call “minimally speaking.” At the same time, they can now tell us that these words do not accurately reflect what is going on in their minds. Learning to type opens up a world of self-expression and gives them the opportunity to be educated.

Research shows that using AAC will not decrease speech and often increases speech abilities. Students who are learning to type often continue to receive speech therapy.

United for Communication Choice has compiled more than 300 peer-reviewed publications supporting the use of AAC teaching methods that lead to typing. In particular, a groundbreaking eye-tracking study from the University of Virginia, published in Nature in 2020, measured the speed, accuracy, timing, and visual fixation patterns of nonspeakers as they pointed to letters they first select with their eyes. The study showed agency, autonomy, and authenticity in typer communication.

Elizabeth has used iMean for more than a decade. You can buy iMean on the App Store for only $5 for both iPads and iPhones. It was created by Dan Bergmann, a fellow typer, and his father, Michael. The app is particularly helpful in a classroom because it has voice output.

Many nonspeakers use ordinary Bluetooth keyboards with voice output programs like ProLoQuo-to-Text.

Elizabeth responded to this question in a recent Q&A: BELIEVE IN US. REGULATE YOURSELF. GIVE US YOUR POSITIVE ENERGY.