Literacy is recognized as being a foundational skill for all aspects of adult life. Being literate in a literate society is more than a convenience; it is also a highly valued social role effecting quality of life. However, students with intellectual disabilities and/or significant autism who also have complex communication needs (CCN) are often left out of literacy education because they present a unique challenge to teachers. These students are unable to orally produce sounds making traditional strategies for teaching phonics ineffective. Teachers are often working with curriculums designed for learners who can orally produce letter sounds, rehearse decoding and encoding, and orally read back words and sentences.