What School-Based SLPs Need to Know About Autistic Communication: A Research-Informed Primer

Sep 30

As school-based speech-language pathologists, we are uniquely positioned to shape how communication is supported, understood, and valued in the lives of students with autism. Yet many traditional models of assessment and intervention still carry ableist assumptions—treating autistic ways of communicating as deficits to be corrected.

Fortunately, current research offers a more straightforward and affirming path forward. This primer highlights recent studies on autistic communication. It outlines key implications for everyday school-based SLP practice, including how to honor agency, build flexibility into goals, and assess progress without reinforcing neurotypical norms.

What the Research Says About Autistic Communication

Recent studies challenge the idea that autistic communication is disordered or dysfunctional. Instead, they affirm that autistic students often employ valid and meaningful strategies to connect with others—strategies that may not always align with neurotypical expectations, but are no less effective.

Donaldson et al. (2024) emphasize that proper communication access requires choice and agency. Autistic students communicate best when their preferences—like modality (spoken, typed, AAC), timing, and topic—are respected and supported.
Dethorne & Searsmith (2023) encourage SLPs to move away from deficit-framing and instead recognize the diversity and value of autistic communication styles, including echolalia, scripting, and nonverbal expression.
Yi et al. (2023) reviewed the SCERTS Model (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and Transactional Support) and found that its flexible, person-centered approach aligns more closely with neurodiversity-affirming practices than traditional compliance-based interventions.

Together, these findings underscore the urgent need to shift our practices from normalization to one of support and collaboration.

Honoring Agency in School-Based Services

Agency means that students have power and choice over how they communicate, what they work on, and how they define success. Donaldson et al. (2024) emphasize that honoring agency is not optional—it’s foundational to ethical and effective intervention.

Allow students to choose their AAC systems and determine how they utilize them.
Offer multiple ways to engage in sessions (e.g., drawing, writing, typing, speaking, stimming).
Ask directly: What do you want to talk about today? What feels helpful?

Even young students can guide their communication journey when given real opportunities to express preferences.

Building Flexibility Into Goals

Rigid, neurotypical-centered goals can harm autistic students by demanding conformity rather than supporting meaningful communication. Dethorne & Searsmith (2023) caution that goals like “maintain eye contact 80% of the time” are both inappropriate and counterproductive.

Instead, SLPs can:

Frame goals around shared understanding, not performance.
Use broad, adaptable benchmarks—e.g., “Student will communicate needs using preferred modality in a variety of settings.”
Focus on self-advocacy and connection, not social masking.

The SCERTS model, as noted by Yi et al. (2023), provides a strong example of flexible, strengths-based goal-setting rooted in authentic contexts.

Assessing Progress Without Reinforcing Ableism

Progress doesn’t need to mean becoming more “neurotypical.” It can mean becoming more effective, confident, and autonomous in communication. Bottema-Beutel et al. (2023) emphasize that ableist frameworks often reward compliance over genuine engagement.

To resist ableism in assessment:

Document what’s working for the student, not what they “lack.”
Celebrate communication growth, even if it’s nonlinear or doesn't look as expected.
Ask: Does this progress reflect the student’s goals, or just our comfort with their behavior?

Consider including student input in progress reports, giving them a voice in what matters most.

Try These Client-Centered Strategies Next Week

Ready to put this into action? Here are three simple, research-informed strategies you can try in your school-based sessions:

Use Interest-Based Topics to Drive Sessions
Bring in materials, games, or visuals tied to the student’s special interests to increase engagement and agency.
Offer a Menu of Communication Modalities
Let students choose between drawing, AAC, typing, or speaking. Normalize switching between them.
Co-Create One Goal With the Student
Ask your student what they want to be able to say or do in school, then write a goal around it. It builds buy-in and honors their voice.

Final Thoughts

Autistic communication is not broken—it’s different. As SLPs, we are called not to “fix” it but to understand, support, and empower it.

Let’s apply what we know from the research to make it a reality in our classrooms and therapy rooms. Reflect on your current caseload: Are your students being supported to communicate as themselves, or as a version of what we expect them to be?

We can—and must—do better. One session, one goal, and one conversation at a time.

References

Donaldson, A. I., et al. (2024). Communication Access, Choice, and Agency.
Dethorne, L., & Searsmith, D. (2023). Autism and Neurodiversity: Concerns & Implications.
Yi, M., et al. (2023). SCERTS Intervention Review.
Bottema-Beutel, K., et al. (2023). Recognizing and Resisting Ableist Language.

Katrina Fulcher