Some children with autism have difficulty telling others what they want or need.  One way to help them express themselves until they are verbal is to use other means of communication such as a communication board.

Communication boards should be designed for a child and his/her communication partners to expand the child’s communication abilities.  Several boards or even types of boards may be necessary to meet communication needs in a variety of situations.

STEP 1)  Begin to collect vocabulary by observing the primary activities that occur throughout the child’s day.  [If you are not able to observe, this information can be obtained from the primary caregivers and parents.]  Select activities that require interaction within the environment, e.g., snacktime or freeplay.   For each activity, write key phrases that the child may need to communicate in that setting.  Select one key word to represent that phrase or thought.  These key words will be represented through the child’s current mode of communication , i.e. pictures, objects, gestures, etc.  It may be helpful to write a script for each primary activity.  The following sample is one way that a script can be organized:

ACTIVITY NAME:  Blowing Bubbles

SCRIPT #1

Be sure to select vocabulary that:

• is appropriate to a child’s developmental level

• includes objects, action words, descriptors, questions, etc.

• a child is unable to communicate in any other way (gesture, speech, etc.)

STEP 2)  Using the information gathered in STEP 1, select a symbol system to represent the key words/phrases you have chosen.  A symbol system may consist of one or more of the following:

• actual size objects

• miniature objects

• representational objects (e.g. bubble wand for bubbles)

• actual photographs

• line drawings (black and white, colored)

• printed word

STEP 3)  With your selected symbol system, construct communication boards that:

• aid the child’s ability to communicate needs and desires

• asks questions

• provides comments on various topics

STEP 4)  Introduce the use of the communication boards by referring to them often in everyday activities.  Use simple, concrete language while talking about the activity the symbols represent.  Everyone who interacts with the child should use the communication boards, using clear, simple language, commenting frequently about the events, objects, and persons represented on the board.  The communicative partners should point to the symbols while labeling and commenting on objects, activities, people, etc.

Sample communication board of a reading activity using the book

 “BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR”

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