Welcome to Everyone Communicates!

As our name indicates, we believe that everyone communicates, in one way or another. We also believe that communication is a basic need in life. When an individual does not have fluent, natural speech, it is urgent that other methods of communication, often called augmentative or alternative communication (AAC), be explored exhaustively.
Being unable to speak does not mean that an individual does not understand, cannot learn to communicate, or cannot think and reason. It only means that the person has a barrier to communication. With access to a variety of methods, and with creative, attentive, and dedicated people providing support, people with communication impairments caused by a wide range of disabilities can work to develop effective communication.

Freedom to Communicate

Freedom to Communicate
Stick figures, one with communication device and speech bubble; "Freedom to Communicate = Access to conversation anywhere, anytime, about anything with anybody through technology and personalized supports if needed.

Dedication

DEDICATION: This site is dedicated to people who are still waiting for a means to communicate more effectively. We hope this site helps to bring access to communication to more people so that someday soon everyone will have the opportunity to communicate effectively, and no one will have to spend days or years or a lifetime in silence.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Research on Facilitated Communication - Qualitative studies, case studies


English language articles on Facilitated Communication (FC) and related issues, including qualitative studies (including speech, literacy, evidence). 

Note:  This is not an exhaustive list, but it provides some good examples.

Christine Ashby (2011) Whose "Voice" Is It Anyway?: Giving Voice And Qualitative Research Involving Individuals That Type To Communicate.  Disability Studies Quarterly, Vol. 31, No 4.

Rosemary Crossley and Chris Borthwick What constitutes evidence?  Why the debate about facilitated communication is important for ISAAC.  Paper written for the proceedings of the Seventh Biennial ISAAC Research Symposium, Odense, Denmark, August 2002. 

Christi Kasa-Hendrickson, Alicia A. Broderick, and Darlene Hanson (2009)
Sorting out Speech: Understanding Multiple Methods of Communication
for Persons with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. The Journal of Developmental Processes, Vol. 4(2), pp. 116-133. 

Marjorie F. Olney (2001)  Evidence of literacy in individuals labeled with mental retardation.  Disability Studies Quarterly:  Spring 2001, Vol. 21, No. 2. 

Zachary Rossetti, Christine Ashby, Katrina Arndt, Marilyn Chadwick, Maho Kasahara, and John O'Brien (2008) “I Like Others to Not Try to Fix Me”: Agency, Independence, and Autism. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: October 2008, Vol. 46, No. 5, pp. 364-375.