FC in the Schools
Despite the fact that FC is not recognized by organizations such as the International Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) as a legitimate form of AAC, proponents continue to push for FC use in the classroom. They have, thus far, been unsuccessful in their attempts to require public schools to adopt FC/S2C/RPM use (See Why would a school system be so “dead set against” S2C? and What schools can learn about S2C from the Lower Merion School District) but have started their own schools as a anti-science response to academics’ and experts’ concerns about facilitator influence and control, prompt dependency, authorship, and potential harms (including false allegations of abuse). Some of these schools are open about their use of FC/S2C/RPM, while others mask their use of FC by using alternative names for the technique.
The organizations listed on this page support FC. We ask a question raised in a 2011 article by Brian Gorman: Can the use of clinically fad treatments in the classroom lead to educational malpractice claims?
See: Opposition Statements, Controlled Studies, Systematic reviews
(Page under construction)
Acton Academy Eastern Long Island. As described in a 2022 article by Lenore Skenazy, the school includes a classroom called the Autism Studio: a classroom of students who use S2C.
Arizona Spellers Academy. A K-8 school for those subjected to Spelling to Communicate (S2C). Tempe, Arizona.
All Minds Academy, a subsidiary of All Minds Education (established in 2020), is an online high school targeting nonspeaking or minimally speaking neurodivergent students. Based on a sister site, All Minds Math, the academy appears to be based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Most of the images on the website feature individuals being subjected to an RPM/S2C-style of FC (e.g., the facilitator holds the letter board or keyboard in the air during letter selection). The team consists of: Jen Leon (Director, Practitioner/Advisor and registered S2C practitioner), Susie Lotharius (trained in RPM and S2C, Treasurer for the pro-FC organization Communication First), Maria Trinidad Jimenez, Ansley Yeomans, Drew Kise, Nicole Vick, Jahada Jones (facilitator/letter board practitioner), Tally Johnson, Darby Kennedy. The academy does not appear to be accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission, Inc. or the Georgia Private School Accreditation Council (GAPSAC).
Bridgehaven Academy A school (for kids aged 12-17) that describes itself as “Devoted to creating an environment best fulfilling each individual's needs through facilitated communication and presume competence in every child.” Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Founded in 2017.
Celebrate the Children. A K-21 school for children with autism and other developmental disabilities that promotes the use of facilitated communication with some of its students. Denville, New Jersey.Invictus Academy. A school, currently covering 4th, 7th, 9th, 11th, and 12th grades, for students who are subjected to Spelling to Communicate (S2C). Tampa Bay, Florida.
Syracuse University Center on Disability and Inclusion. Provides training in facilitated communication, which they also call “supported typing.” Syracuse, New York.
The Connections School of Atlanta. A high school for “neurodiverse” students that has partnered with the S2C organization Growing Kids Therapy Center and that includes students who are subjected to Spelling to Communicate. Atlanta, Georgia.
The Hirsch Academy. Includes students who are subjected to Spelling to Communicate (S2C). Decatur, Georgia.
The Talk School. A school for autistic and language-impaired students aged 3-21. Offers Rapid Prompting Method services. Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
URJA Child Disability and Special School. An RPM-based school. India.
Virtual Access Academy. Includes students who are subjected to facilitated communication (“supported typing”). One of their students was honored in 2023 by Senator Chris Murphy for winning Murphy’s 7th grade Martin Luther King Essay Competition.
References:
Skenazy, Lenore. (2022, December 24). How a miracle tool enables severely autistic kids to communicate for the first time. New York Post.