What We Think

Progress for nonspeaking autistic students isn't linear. Learn how regulation, trust, and environment shape AAC communication and what that means for educators and families.

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.

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.

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

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

Discover how listening to nonspeakers transformed a teacher's perspective. Learn about the power of listening, understanding, and embracing

Explore the podcast "My Words Are My Voice," showcasing writings from nonspeaking individuals in the autism community. Listen and learn!

If I could make myself a time machine, I would return to my first IEP meeting where I was able to communicate with a letterboard and I would