Zekwande Mathenjwa, a black teenager, using Spelling to Communicate with two women in the picture.

A Rights-Based Approach to Communication and Therapy

26 September 2022 | Events, Resources

Communication is a human right. Here we share some resources which we're using in a presentation about this topic for allied health professionals interested in working with autistic people who don't speak.

Introduction

LISTEN—A documentary made by and with nonspeaking autistic people (video)

Thoughts from an Autistic AAC User After the April 2022 Meeting of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (article)

No place in disability for special education (article)

UN Convention on the Rights of People With Disabilities (CRPD)

Articles of the CRPD (full text)

CRPD Training Package (accessible .pdf download)

Representation of disabled people in matters affecting them

‘Nothing about us without us’—a foundation of the CRPD

Comment Note 7 of 2018: About representation
Summary

Arnstein’s Ladder of Participation

Organisations and groups representing nonspeakers and other AAC users

The Zekwande Foundation (Facebook page) Nonprofit organisation, South Africa. Several other South African NGOs with similar goals are also working with the Autistic Strategies Network to advance the rights of nonspeakers.

Communication FIRST (Web site) Nonprofit organisation, USA

Ask Me, I’m an AAC User (private Facebook group) Award-winning international support and information group run by AAC users

Zekwande’s communication disability: autism with apraxia

4 Focus Areas for Advocacy—Communication (video)

Reframing Severe Autism (video)

6 Things You Should Know About Apraxia (article)

KEYWORDS

Nonspeakers

ASN Allies Strategy Meetings 2022

During June and July, we’re holding strategy meetings with the leaders of ten of the African NGOs and working groups that have partnered with us over the past 8 years, and with the autistic people who inspire their them.

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