Andre Velho
World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) is internationally recognised on April 2, to raise awareness about the challenges faced by people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), to celebrate the unique talents of people on the spectrum and to encourage society to embrace and welcome these people through community events around the globe. This year, the United Nations has decided to focus on leveraging the use of assistive technology for people with ASD as a way of crossing barriers and helping them achieve social, economic and political participation in society, and to promote equality and inclusion.
ASD affects over 1 in 68 people worldwide. Counter to popular belief, people with autism have many strengths and qualities that should be celebrated! Just as all neurotypical people are unique in their strengths and weaknesses, people with ASD too are unique. They can have strong long-term memory. Some are really good at math, computers, music or art. Many of them are detail oriented and can focus for long time when working on a favourite activity. They can have extensive knowledge about their favourite topics. They are punctual, loyal, honest, non-judgemental and are often not concerned about what other people think about them.
People with ASD however do have a number of difficulties that come in the way of them being able to fully participate and be accepted in society. Along with challenges understanding how to interact with others, people with ASD have a variety of communication challenges. Some people with ASD do not talk at all, some have limited speech while others speak fluently but have difficulty doing so appropriately. Hence, helping people with ASD overcome these barriers is key to them participating fully in community activities.
Despite the communication challenges ASD can present, we should not assume that people who do not speak cannot or do not want to communicate, or that they will never “speak”. Communication is more than just being able to speak! Assistive Technology or AT is any piece of equipment or system that helps improve the functional capabilities of people with autism, whether low tech like canes and doorknobs (which do not use electronic equipment) to high tech like voice recognition software and speech generating devices (which use electronic equipment). An array of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) strategies can be used to improve and expand the communication of people with ASD. In this day and age, individuals with autism all over the world communicate using a variety of alternate ways. They use signs and gestures, many of them communicate using by using picture symbols, communication books and boards as well as speech generating devices. Some even use portable word processors to support effective written expression.
However, many parents often believe that AT can deter speech development, and are reluctant to use these with their children. It is assumed that using AT will make is “easier” for the child and hence they may “give up” on the more difficult skill of speaking. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Research and clinical experience worldwide have indicated that human beings use the “most effective” means of communication available to them to interact with others. It is definitely much more efficient for a person to use speech to communicate rather than AT!
Assistive technology will not interfere with speech development. People with ASD who are meant to develop speech, will do so. In fact, using AT an actually improve communication and research is being done to try and prove this. What is definitely known however, is that AT not only reduces the pressure placed on people with ASD to speak as the only way to communicate, but also helps develop language and conversation skills.
Very often, AT is introduced after giving up on the hope that a person with ASD will speak. What this does, is create years of failed attempts at communication with parents, teachers, friends and colleagues. At Sethu, we have seen children resorting to challenging behaviours like throwing objects, hitting, biting and screaming as way of conveying messages that seem as simple as “I am hungry”, “My tooth hurts”, “I do not understand what you want me to do” or “I am bored”. Messages that neurotypical people can communicate with ease. Hence, at Sethu we view assistive technology as a supplement or alternative to communication rather than a wholesale replacement for speech. This is choice is not between natural speech or assistive technology, but rather how to use it to support the development of communication.
The great feature about many AT is that there are no intellectual prerequisites to use them. Sethu uses AT for all children with ASD regardless of their cognitive or language level. Using a multidisciplinary team approach, we gain knowledge about the child’s strengths and challenges, activities that the child likes and does not like, consider the social and economic situation of the family and then make decision on what assistive technology will be used to support the child. Great focus is placed on teaching parents how to use these with their children so that the child has the opportunity receive many more hours of “training” and will have be able to use AT in his natural environment.
(The writer is the head of Autism Intervention Services at Sethu)
