Connecting With Nonspeakers: A Practical Guide

• By: Noah McSweeney Nonspeaking Autistic Self-Advocate, College Student, Poet, and Award-Winning Student Journalist
• July 9th, 2026
• AAC, augmentative alternative communication, communication partners, letterboard communication, nonspeaking, presuming competence, Summer 2026 Issue
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April traditionally brings showers, but in my world, it brings Autism Awareness Month – or is it Autism Acceptance Month, or is it Autism Action Month? It seems the verbiage changes from year to year. Awareness is good, acceptance is great, but action is the key to inclusion. For me, April means...

“The Best Medicine Is Respect!” Creating a Supportive Healthcare Environment for Nonspeakers

• By: Rosemary Corcoran, MS, OTR/L Hannah Facey, MD Jefferson FAB Center for Complex Care, Thomas Jefferson University Sarah Ackerman Self-Advocate
• July 9th, 2026
• augmentative alternative communication, autism advocacy, healthcare access, healthcare barriers, medical providers, nonspeaking autism, patient communication, presumed competence, Summer 2026 Issue
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For around 30% of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), verbal speech is limited, unreliable, or unavailable (Jaswal et al., 2026). Autistic people who are nonspeaking use a variety of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to communicate; this includes picture-based systems,...