Position Statement on Facilitated Communication (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, ASHA)

Description:

Position Statement: Facilitated Communication

It is the position of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) that Facilitated Communication (FC) is a discredited technique that should not be used. There is no scientific evidence of the validity of FC, and there is extensive scientific evidence—produced over several decades and across several countries—that messages are authored by the "facilitator" rather than the person with a disability. Furthermore, there is extensive evidence of harms related to the use of FC. Information obtained through the use of FC should not be considered as the communication of the person with a disability.

This position statement is an official policy of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The position was developed by the ASHA Ad Hoc Committee on Facilitated Communication (FC) and the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM): Meher Banajee, chair; Bronwyn Hemsley; Russell Lang; Ralf W. Schlosser; Howard C. Shane; and Diane Paul, ex officio. Sandra Gillam, Vice President for Speech-Language Pathology Practice (2015–2017), served as the ASHA Board of Directors (BOD) liaison from August 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017. Marie Ireland, Vice President for Speech-Language Pathology Practice (2018–2020), served as the BOD liaison from January 1, 2018, to August 31, 2018. This position statement, an update of ASHA's 1995 position statement on FC, was open for peer review by all interested parties, and respondents included speech-language pathologists, audiologists, special educators, other related professionals, professional associations, families, individuals with disabilities, and advocacy groups.