Enabling Communication in Children with Autism

The research - approaches and findings; a minimal speech approach; proximal communication; prompting for spontaneous communication; developing systems of communication; creating opportunities for communication; developing interaction between children with autism; communication enabling styles of classroom management; the curricular context.

The authors of this book departed from previous approaches in that their focus was on spontaneous communication and the capacity of children with autism to initiate and approach others when presented with communication enabling environments. Apart from describing the research, the book has chapters on exactly what a minimum speech approach consists of with examples of how to use it. There is an excellent chapter on 'enabling styles of class-room management' which presents principles of good practice not only for class-rooms but for any service where there are individuals with significant learning difficulties. It is a book that I will be going back to and recommending to parents, teachers of young children, class-room assistants and speech and language therapists.