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Speaking is Not The Only way To Communicate

I speak. But, sometimes, if i am too tired, sad, jaded, or in pain, words won't come from outside my mouth. Soemtimes i only can draw or put GIFS, because i can't even type... I don't think in words anymore! I also know a bit of my country's Sign Language.

These are all valid forms of communication, and many Autistics use them. they fall into the AAC (Augmentative-Alternative Communication) umbrella. Watch Out: They're not the same. Alternative is when it's your main method of communication, while Augmentative is for cases like mne, in which, even with a great oral language, there are cases when you need to be more resourceful.

Alternatives that differ from those already mentioned are text to speech, PECS,  answer "Yes" and "No" Buttons,  echolalia (repeating what someone just said, although with slight changes, or phrases from media), Methods of eye movements, Rapid Prompting Method (letterboards) and Facilitated Communication (ehich uses emotional support , ortographic, impulsive or fatigue.based). 

These two last methods have been widely disapproved by scientists, saying that it is basically manipulating what the Facilitated wants to say. But we shouldn't think that way. Good Facilitator training requires to know you should never move the person. And even, in disapproving studies, there where mistakes when the Facilitated didn't have enough information. 

Many compare FC to Ouija. THE COMMUNITY HATES THAT. Advocates say, indeed, they have been manipulated, infantilized and gaslit, but they felt bad for that, and we can't generalize. 

We have to presume competence (got an article on that), tat means, treat everyone, Disabled or not, as a sentient being, capable of learning to communicate. We must fcus on those multiply-disabled people, who can have a bit of a harder time accessing communication tools. MAYNY STUDIES SHOW RPM AND FC HAVE CHANGED LIVES, EVEN MORE THAN THOSE "DEBUNKING" THEM.

THE PROBLEM IS: THIS STUDIES ARE QUALITATIVE, and many times, qualitative is not considered as evidence, truly. But many advocates have shared their experience. Without thee methods, people like Emma Zurcher-Long (who now types independently), Amy Sequenzia (still uses FC, has her reasons), Ido Kedar (one of the first persons to be known for communicating with this methods), would not have been famous. And, finally, COMMUNICATION IS A HUMAN RIGHT, CHOOSING HOW TO ACHIEVE IT IS ACHEIVING THAT RIGHT. LISTEN TO THE COMUNITY, AND PRESUME COMPETENCE. 

Resources: 
https://traduciendoautistas.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/un-desafio-para-profesionales-de-autismo-ido-keddar/
https://es.diphealth.com/896-what-is-the-rapid-prompting-method-for-treating-autism-259937-32

https://awnnetwork.org/my-right-to-communicate-does-not-depend-on-your-bigotry/
https://awnnetwork.org/my-human-value-is-inherent-to-my-existence/
https://awnnetwork.org/demanding-not-asking-to-be-valued/
https://theaspergian.com/2019/07/10/fc-rpm-and-how-wikipedia-became-complicit-in-silencing-non-speaking-autistics/
https://autisticadvocacy.org/2018/07/asan-letter-to-asha-on-the-right-to-communicate/
https://learnfromautistics.com/whats-the-verdict-on-facilitated-communication/


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