Books
These books fall into the “human interest” category, rather than scholarly works. They lack evidence-based content and rely primarily on anecdotes to forward the idea that FC in any of its forms is valid. However, since FC remains an unproven, indeed disproven, form of communication, any content credited to individuals subjected to its use must be viewed with skepticism.
2021
Gilpeer, Valerie and Grodin, Emily (2021). I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust: A Memoir of Autism and Hope. William Morrow.
An account of how a non-speaking woman was purportedly unlocked through traditional facilitated communication.
Critiques:
Beals, Katharine. (2021). I Have Been Buried Under Years of Autism Miracle Cure Stories.
Inderbitzen, Sean M. (2021). Book Review: I have been buried underneath years of dust: a memoir of autism and hope. Research on Social Work Practice. Vol 31 (6), 676-678. DOI: 10497315211024729.
Handley, J.B. and Handley, Jamison. (2021). Underestimated: An Autism Miracle. Skyhorse.
In this book, J.B. Handley recounts how his son was purportedly unlocked by one of the newer variants of facilitated communication—Spelling to Communicate (S2C).
Critiques:
Beals, Katharine (2021). Review of J.B. Handley’s Underestimated: An Autism Miracle.
2019
Peña, Edlyn Vallejo ed., (2019). Communication Alternatives in Autism: Perspectives on Typing and Spelling Approaches for the Nonspeaking. Toplight Books.
This book consists of ten chapters credited, respectively, to ten individuals with autism whose purported writings are elicited by FC or RPM. A common theme in these accounts are claims of a mind-body disconnect in which people are unable to pronounce the words they intend to say, instead pronouncing completely different words (e.g., “yes” instead of “no”). This kind of mind-body disconnect is recognized nowhere in the literature on speech-language pathologies. As for the validity of FC/RPM, this is addressed in book’s introduction by its editor, Edlyn Vallejo Peña, who uses RPM with her son. Downplaying facilitator influence as a matter of message accuracy as opposed to message authorship, and conflating FC/RPM with AAC (augmentative and alternative communication—which includes sign language and independent typing), Peña claims that FC/RPM can be authentic methods of communication under the right conditions. But her only examples of this are anecdotes that are open to interpretation.
Critiques:
Beals, Katharine, (2020). Review of Communication Alternatives in Autism. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work 17 (3), 361-367. DOI: 10.1080/26408066.2020.1729284.
2012
Kedar, Ido. (2012). Ido in Autismland: Climbing out of Autism’s Silent Prison.
An account of a boy who is purportedly unlocked via the Rapid Prompting Method, a form of facilitated communication.
Critiques:
Boynton, Janyce. (2022). Clever Han(d)s Skepticism and “Ido in Autismland.”
2011
Bonker, Elizabeth and Breen, Virginia. (2011). I Am In Here: The Journey of a Child with Autism Who Cannot Speak but Finds Her Voice. Revell.
In this book, Virginia Breen recounts her efforts to help ameliorate her daughter’s autism. Breen credits Rapid Prompting Method for unlocking her daughter’s communication skills and releasing her from the constraints of autism.
Critiques:
Boynton, Janyce. (2022). An Unexpected Glimpse into the Minds of Facilitators: Review of “I Am In Here.”
2007
Savarese, Ralph. (2007). Reasonable People: A Memoir of Autism and Adoption. Other Press.
Savarese recounts his and his wife’s adoption of a non-verbal autistic child, now known as Deej (the subject of the movie Deej—see Movies). Included in this account is the Savarese’s decision to use Facilitated Communication with Deej. Many of the insights about autism and about Deej’s psychology, including allegations of sexual abuse that purportedly took place during his time in foster care, are driven by FC-generated statements that are attributed to Deej. Also credited to Deej are several poems, as well as the book’s final chapter.
Saverese claims that FC has been validated by various studies, citing Cardinal, Hanson & Wakeham (1996); Emerson, Grayson, & Griffiths (2001); Sheehan & Maturozzi (1996); and Vasquez (1994). For a discussion of the various flaws in these studies, see Reseach/Unsubstantiated Claims. Savarese claims that Deej resists typing independently because he associates independence with abandonment—a purportedly persistent fear that harks back to his separation in early childhood from his biological family members and placement in foster care.
Critiques:
Beals, Katharine (2021), Beyond Reasonable: a memoir of autism, adoption, and Facilitated Communication.
2006
Iversen, Portia (2006). Strange Son: Two Mothers, Two Sons, and the Quest to Unlock the Hidden World of Autism. Riverhead Books.
This book recounts how Portia Iversen, the co-founder of Cure Autism Now, brought Soma and Tito Mukhopadhyay to the U.S. so that Tito could be studied by autism experts and Soma’s Rapid Prompting Method shared with other children. Tito is portrayed as communicating independently, even though he can only do so when his mother is in the room with him, and even though he fails at message passing tests. Others of Soma’s clients, including Iversen’s son Dov, are also portrayed as communicating independently once Soma’s methods “unlock” them. Iversen, an artist and set-designer, also shares her take on the neuroscience of autism.
Critiques:
Beals, Katharine (2021), Strange things about Strange Son.
Boynton, Janyce (2022), Strange Science in Iversen’s “Strange Son”.
Boynton, Janyce (2022), Truth will out: Review of Portia Iversen’s “Strange Son”.
2005
Biklen, Douglas, (2005). Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone. NYU Press.
This book consists of an introduction, an introductory chapter, and a conclusion by Douglas Biklen, and eight chapters credited, respectively, to eight individuals with autism: Sue Rubin, Tito Mukhopadhyay, Lucy Blackman, Larry Bissonnette, Alberto Frugone, Richard Attfield, and Jamie Burke—each one prefaced by an introduction by Biklen. Larry Bisonnette’s chapter consists mostly of his art work, with some accompanying narration attributed to Bisonnette. Tito Mukhopadhyay’s chapter is presented as an interview with Biklen. The remaining accounts are in the form of uninterrupted narratives. Biklen claims that all but one of these individuals (Bisonnette), though they were previously dependent on facilitation when typing, produced these narratives through independent typing (with some input from Biklen re revisions). Biklen also states, however, all of them require a parent or helper to sit next to them when they type. Based on these narratives, Biklen recasts autism as a movement disorder, and calls on clinical researchers to “question every assumption brought to the topic of autism.”
Critiques:
Beals, Katharine (2021, March 29). Book Review: Autism and the myth of the person alone. Research on Social Work Practice. 1-5.
1997
Biklen, Douglas and Cardinal, Donald N. (Eds) (1997). Contested Words, Contested Science: Unraveling the Facilitated Communication Controversy. Teachers’ College Press, Columbia University. ISBN: 0-8077-3601-5
Douglas Biklen and Donald Cardinal present a collection of studies providing evidence in support of facilitated communication.
Critiques:
Boynton, Janyce (2021). Taking Shortcuts, A Review of “Contested Words, Contested Science.
Kezuka, E. (1999). Review of (ed.) D. Biklen & D. N. Cardinal, Contested Words Contested Science: Unraveling the Facilitated Communication Controversy. Autism, vol. 3, 205- 207.
Crossley, Rosemary (1997), Speechless: Facilitating Communication for People Without Voices. Dutton.
This book recounts Crossley’s work facilitating the communication by typing of an assortment of individuals with minimal speaking skills, from victims of traumatic brain injury, encephalitis, and untreated PKU, to individuals with cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, and autism. While some of these people type via head pointers (pointing rods mounted on head bands), most use an extended index finger, and most require support at the wrist, forearm, elbow, shoulder or sleeve while typing. Justifications for FC resemble those still given today, including interrupting perseverative typing, difficulty with bodily awareness and maintaining focus, and a need for moral support. Crossley acknowledges that facilitators may unwittingly cue messages, but claims that the cues are too subtle for most individuals being facilitated. She also discusses her take on the events surrounding Frontline’s Prisoner’s of Silence.
Critiques:
Beals, Katharine (2021), Speechless about Speechless.