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Autism Communication Tools

Communication is often difficult for people with autism and their loved ones. Many people with autism are non-speaking or have limited verbal skills. Compounding the difficulty is the fact many autistic people have trouble understanding social cues or ideas. Several communication systems exist to help people with autism communicate their needs, desires and feelings to the people around them.

  1. Picture Exchange Communication System

    • PECS involves exchanging pictures to express feelings and ideas.

      The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a frequently used way to communicate for people with autism. Developed in 1985, PECS is easily used and adapted for all types of autism and autism-spectrum disorders. Autistic people learn up to six phases in the system, depending on their ability.

      Basic PECS involves having the person choose a picture and give it to another person as a way of asking for that item or activity. As a person becomes more familiar with the PECS system, a communication book is created with pictures of commonly used items and activities, and this book can be used at home, school or in the community.

      Advanced PECS involves the person learning and identifying pictures for verbs and adjectives, as well as creating sentences and answering or asking questions.

    Mobile Phone/Computer Applications

    • Cell phone applications open the communication world for people with autism.

      Mobile phone companies are developing applications similar to text-to-speech devices but on a much less-expensive scale. Apple, maker of the iPhone and iPad, allows you to download an application in which icons represent words or phrases. People with autism can carry the device wherever they go and communicate with the outside world. As of December 2010, this application costs around $149.99, minus the cost of the chosen device.

    Visual Augmentative Communication

    • VIA uses photographs for to help facilitate spoken language in autistic people.

      Visual Augmentative Communication, or VIA, works similar to PECS. However, VIA is based on developmental psychology and focuses on non-verbal cues (eye contact, facial expressions and body language). According to Bryna Siegel, Ph.D. from the University of California, children with autism generally have deficits in para-linguistic communication -- the non-verbal part of a communication exchange.

      VIA involves exchanging a photograph for an item or activity, to give the person a realistic portrayal of what he wants (rather than basic drawings used in PECS). Non-verbal cues, such as smiling and head nodding, are done as the photograph is exchanged to strengthen para-linguistic understanding.

      VIA removes the communication book used in PECS and rather has images of items placed throughout the person's environment (food items in the kitchen and hygiene items in the bathroom). Visual Augmentative Communication is used in the hopes of facilitating the development of spoken language for people with autism.

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