
Facilitated communication
a thoroughly discredited but persistent technique
Why we’re speaking out against facilitated communication
Facilitated Communication (FC) is a technique being used on individuals with disabilities. It requires the support of a facilitator to “work.” However, in the 30-plus years it has been in use, proponents have failed to produce any reliable evidence to prove their claims of independent communication. In fact, controlled testing shows it is the facilitators, not individuals with disabilities, who control FC-generated messages. FC has been thoroughly discredited by the scientific community. Most major health, education, and autism advocacy organizations have opposition statements and strongly urge their members not to use FC. Individuals with disabilities deserve to have access to communication technologies and methods currently available for use that promote independence and allow them to make their voices heard without interference from facilitators.
Resources for Parents
Introduction to FC and Suggested Reading List
Resources for Educators
Introduction to FC and Suggested Reading List
Resources for Reporters
Introduction to FC and Suggested Reading List
The fact that facilitators often control and direct the typing has been called ‘facilitator influence,’ which seems to be a misnomer. ‘Facilitator influence’ suggests that the disabled person is emitting verbal behavior, and the facilitator is exerting partial control (or ‘influence’) over that behavior. Although partial control certainly may occur when fading prompts within structured teaching programs, such control has not been demonstrated in most cases of FC. Rather than influencing the typed messages, the facilitator appears to be the sole author of those messages. Thus, the focus of analysis is shifted from the disabled person’s behavior to the facilitator’s behavior.
— Hall, G. (1993)
Facilitated Communication is Also Known As:
Note: some of these have been co-opted from legitimate, evidence-based methods and techniques. The distinguishing characteristics of FC is facilitator control over the typing or writing activity and prompt dependency for individuals being subjected to it.
Supported Typing
Saved by Typing
Facilitated Communication Training
Informative Pointing
Spelling/Communication Therapy
Spellers Method
Partnered Typing
Spelled Communication
Type to Express
Rapid Prompting Method
Spelling to Communicate
Assisted Typing
Letter Boarding
Supported Decision Making
Communication for Education
Talking Fingers
Mouth to hand learning
Structured typing
Hand-Over-Hand
Speaking with Eyes
Motor Communication
Intuitive Pointing
Spelling on an iPad
Motor-Based Communication Techniques
Types for Talking
Text-based communicator
Blog Topics
- Spelling to Communicate
- Scholarly Article Review
- FC in Schools
- Neuropsychology of Autism
- Book Review
- Movie Review
- Telepathy Tapes Review
- Ethical Issues
- Facilitator Control
- FC and the Legal System
- Validation Testing
- Video Critique
- Conferences and Webinars
- Theory of Mind
- Critiques of Facilitated Communication
- Motor Abilities
- FC in the Schools
- Telepathy
- FC in the Courts
- Critique of Pro-FC Article
- Facilitator Cues
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication
- Disability Rights
- Facilitator Crimes
- Critique of Pro-FC Articles
- Confirmation Bias
- Facilitated Communicaton
- Spellers Method
- Social Motivation
- Severe Autism
- Notes from Admin
- Guest Commentary
- Assistive Technology Devices
- Autism and Savant Skills
- Motivated Reasoning
- U.S. Locations
- Fad Treatments
- ASD Guidelines
- Critique of Pro-FC Movie
- Effects of Facilitation
- Scientific Method
- U.S. Health Policy
- France
- FC Authorship
- Communication Boards
- S2C in the Media
- Synesthesia
- FC-Adjacent Beliefs
- News Roundup
- Autism Instruction
- Presume Competence
- Facilitated Communication
- FC in the Media
- Rapid Prompting Method
- Speech and Language
- Authorship
- History of FC
- Ideomotor Effect
- Language and Literacy
- Controlled Studies
- Policy
- Joint Attention
- FC as Pseudoscience
- Trends in Autism Diagnoses
- Facilitator Mindset
- Psychotherapy
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Occupational Therapy
- Socio-Cognitive Development
- Psychology
- Developmental Apraxia
- Financial and Opportunity Costs
- Autism Advocacy
- Disability Studies
- Apraxia
- Facilitator Behaviors
- EBPs Using FC