A.A.L.I.V.E. (Adults with Autism: Living with Independence, Value & Esteem). The mission of this organization is to “offer socialization and awareness opportunities to enhance the lives of our adult special needs community.” And, yet, since 2016, they have supported Spelling to Communicate (S2C) through a mentorship with Elizabeth Vosseller. Inside Voice, their “spelling center,” is located in Springfield, Pennsylvania.

Communication for Education This “communication partner” (aka facilitator training) course is a collaboration among pro-FC groups including: the Autism and Communication Center at California Lutheran University, Reach Every Voice, and Autistically Inclined. Course options range from $350-$725. Consultation sessions are $75/half hour. The organization does not use the term FC/S2C/RPM on their website, giving the impression that facilitator-dependent techniques are a recognized form of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Professional Contributors to the group include: Christine Ashby (Director of Syracuse University’s FC program, the ICI), Shelley Cranes ( RPM certified practitioner), Mona Delahooke (Clinical Psychologist who’s written in favor of FC), Alison Fellowes Comly, Judith Heumann, Shagufta Jabeen, Tim Jin, Parisa Khosravi, Harvey Lavoy (Syracuse University “master trainer”), Barry M. Prizant (CCC-SLP who writes and speaks extensively in favor of FC), Tracy Thresher (featured in Wretches and Jabberers being subjected to FC), Elizabeth Torres (Professor at Rutgers University promoting FC/RPM/S2C-see blog posts here and here), Ingrid Ventura Ellis (Program director for pro-FC group Reach Every Voice, trained in RPM).

Communication4All This is a 501(c)3 organization promoting FC as “Augmentative and Adaptive Communication” and includes individuals being subjected to FC on their board, including Elizabeth Bonker, who is credited with being the Founder and Executive Director of the organization. The book I Am In Here documents the fact that Elizabeth Breen (Bonker’s mother) was introduced to a form of FC called Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) when her daughter was entering elementary school. Breen and a hired assistant took workshops from RPM founder Soma Mukhopadhyay. (See review of I Am in Here)

Growing Kids Therapy This is a for profit organization started by Elizabeth Vosseller and features a form of FC called Spelling to Communicate (S2C). Vosseller trained under Soma Mukhopadhyay (using RPM) before branching off to start Growing Kids Therapy. S2C is a minimal or no touch form of FC in which a facilitator holds a stencil or letter board in the air to aid in letter selection. S2C, like all forms of FC, has no reliably controlled evidence to prove proponent claims of independent communication. Facilitators using S2C employ physical, visual and verbal cues to direct students to select letters. In a Pennsylvania court case, a facilitator trained in S2C testified that, to date, none of their clients have reached independent communication using the technique. (See What schools can learn about S2C from the Lower Merion School District)

HAL() This is a for profit organization started by Soma Mukhopadhyay around 2003 and features a form of FC called Rapid Prompting Method (RPM). The S()MA®RPM method is a minimal or no touch form of FC in which a facilitator holds a letter board or keyboard in the air to aid in letter selection. RPM, like all forms of FC, has no reliably controlled evidence to prove proponent claims of independent communication. In fact, as recounted in Portia Iversen’s book Strange Son (See review here and here), Mukhopadhyay herself failed blinded testing, but this did not stop either woman from their efforts to promote the technique. To date, RPM, like all forms of FC, has no reliably controlled evidence to prove proponent claims of independent communication. In 2022, the journal Exceptional Children published a study called “An Economic Evaluation of Emerging and Ineffective Interventions: Examining the Role of Cost When Translating Research into Practice” by Gretchen Scheibel, Thomas L. Lane, and Kathleen N. Zimmerman. This study explored the question: What are the estimated costs of implementing RPM, an intervention with evidence of neutral or harmful effects? Costs associated with RPM included an estimated $13, 978 in initial implementation, $18,180 in opportunity costs (equal to the cost of providing evidence-based interventions), plus addition costs (e.g., lost instruction time, exposure to ineffective or harmful interventions, potential student exploitation). (FMI: See RPM and DIRFloortime at what cost?)

Reach Every Voice This organization started in 2015 is located in Maryland. Staff provide online and in-person programs for nonspeaking and minimally speaking autistic students. They do not to use the terms FC/RPM/S2C on their website, but instead target students who “type, spell, or point to communicate” (code words for FC). Images on their website show students being subjected to RPM/S2C-style FC where “speller’s companions” (aka facilitators) hold a letter board or stencil in the air during letter selection. This group collaborates with pro-FC groups such as Autism Communication Center at California Lutheran University, Communication for Education, Autistically Inclined, Not an Autism Mom, and NeuroClastic. People on their team include: Lisa Mihalich Quinn (Executive Director, served as case manager for an FC pilot program and became a “communication partner” - aka facilitator), Miranda Coco, Ingrid Ventura Ellis (Trained with Soma Mukhopadhyay using RPM in 2015, attended conferences and trainings at Syracuse University’s ICI and Hussman Institute for Autism), Alissa Margolis (Trained in FC at Syracuse University’s ICI and is trained in RPM), Emma Shaffer, Dalton Scott (listed as a “communication partner”).

Spellers Freedom Foundation This is a 501(c)(3) public charity located in Oceanside, California in 2021. The organization promotes a form of FC/S2C/RPM marketed as the “spellers method,” although this information is not readily available on the website. The website, instead, urges people to “join the revolution” and claims that “now, by the miraculous process of using letter boards and keyboards” nonspeaking spellers “are changing how the rest of society relates to them.” The board members are not listed on the site, but according to ProPublica the following were listed as Key Employees and Officers in 2021: Jonathan Handley, Jr. (President, author of Underestimated: An Autism Miracle - see review here), Lisa Handley (Director), Clayton Hering (Director) and Susan Hering (Director). In 2022, the Key Employees and Officers were: Susan Hering (President), Jamie Handley (Director; individual being subjected to S2C - see blog post here), Lisa Handley (Treasurer). The Spellers Freedom Foundation promotes the pro-FC movie Spellers (see review here).