What We Think

Presuming competence was never meant to be conditional. Yet some approaches in our field are quietly recreating the same barriers we set out to dismantle. Families and educators are being told “not yet” when students seek new tools or pathways. This piece calls us back to our foundation: access first, always, and learning environments that adapt to the student—not the other way around.

Thirty years ago, a new teacher met a quiet sixth-grader named Jeremy, one of her first students with autism. Back then, silence was often mistaken for a lack of understanding. Decades later, Jeremy returned—now an adult learning to communicate through AAC at Reach Every Voice. Their full-circle story shows how presuming competence and listening differently can transform teaching, connection, and what it means to truly be understood.

Skills and strategies matter—but without trust, communication won’t happen. In this piece, Lisa Mihalich Quinn shares why the deepest trust in nonspeaking student communication isn’t just about feeling safe to share, but about knowing honesty will be met with real listening, reflection, and change.

Progress is rarely a straight line. In our work with autistic students, we see highs, lows, and everything in between. The tough days don’t erase the good ones—they give them meaning. Growth takes time, trust, and people who keep showing up. If you're in it with us: keep going. You matter more than you know.

TJ Thompson found friendship through Pixar characters when real connections seemed impossible. "My friends had names like Nemo, Buzz, and Lightning," he shares. At 18, communication access through REV transformed everything. Now closer to pursuing his animation dreams at Pixar, TJ proves that with proper support, nonspeaking autistic students can achieve their goals and form meaningful relationships beyond the screen.

For 15 years, I thought I was the teacher my nonspeaking autistic students needed. I was wrong. Not because I didn't care, but because the system failed to teach me that autism is linked to movement differences, not behavioral issues. I wish I'd understood nervous system regulation and presumed competence from day one. The training we need exists—it's time to make it accessible to every educator.

From a childhood playroom classroom to revolutionizing literacy for nonspeaking learners—my journey proves that everyone deserves access to real academics. As Gordy, a nonspeaking advocate, shares: "If I could change just one thing about education before I die, it would be the idea that nonspeaking people can't handle real academics." Through REV's phonics workshops, we're proving him right—one letter, one learner at a time. Because communication doesn't require speech; it re

Fifteen years ago, a severe migraine left me temporarily unable to speak-my mind clear but my words lost. This brief disconnect opened my eyes to the daily reality of many autistic students who face a brain-body disconnect, eager to communicate but unable to do so. At Reach Every Voice, we believe in presuming competence and meeting every learner with empathy, respect, and unwavering belief in their potential.

I always believed the limitations my school put on me. They were the experts. I didn’t know to question their judgement.

Discover key insights from the webinar Proficiency is Not a Prerequisite, presented for the Maryland State Department of Education. Learn ho