Strategies for communication development
Expanding the communication skills of students with autism is one of
the greatest challenges for teachers and families. Most people are
unaware of the complexity of normal communication, because children
develop these skills automatically, usually by the age of three or four.
Many students with autism have not developed the skills they need for
spontaneous communication, and must therefore be taught. Helping
students with autism develop communication skills—so that they can
express their wants and needs, interact socially, share information,
express emotions, and protest or escape aversive situations—is a priority.
Programs to facilitate the development of communication may begin
in structured settings; however, promoting generalization and facility in
using language requires that interventions take place in natural settings.
Functional language skills are best taught in the social context where
they will be used and where they have real meaning. The classroom and
school environments provide a wealth of opportunities for developing
functional communication within social contexts, and promoting generalization.
However, opportunity alone will not address the
communication needs of the student with autism. The specific skills
requiring instruction and strategies for developing the targeted skills
must be identified.
The school team, parents, and specialized professionals should
collaborate to identify communication goals and objectives for the
student with autism. The planned interventions should be based on the
abilities and needs of the student. The speech and language pathologist
can assist in assessment of communication skills and provide suggestions
and strategies tailored to the unique needs and characteristics of the
student.