Baron-Cohen, S., & Bolton, P., 1993, Autism; The Facts, OUP, London
Brief mention of FCT as a fringe therapy (p.74).
Facilitated Communication has recently had a considerable impact on teaching children with autism in North America. ..... under such physical guidance it is reported that the children communicate more easily. .... These psychological theories are exciting... but they are also somewhat difficult to assess, as they have often had no independent evaluation...
Beukelman, D., & Mirenda, P., 1992, Augmentative and Alternative Communication; Management of Severe Communication Disorders in Children and Adults, Baltimore, Paul H. Brookes
Extended presentation of FCT as a recent development in communication impairment.
We have included facilitated communication as a possible AAC option because we believe that people with autism deserve to communicate successfully, even if we are unable to understand exactly how the technique helps them to do so.
Beusst-Smith, B., & Keeney, C., 1992, Parents’ Guide to Facilitated Communication, River Bend Co., Houston
Basic techniques with a discussion of integration and parents’ perspectives.
Includes accounts of use with author’s children. Underestimates the need
for literacy teaching and illustrates some undesirable handholding postures.
Available from River Bend Company (see Address List)
(26 pp.)
Carlton, S., 1993, The Other Side of Autism, A positive approach, Self Publishing Association, Worcester
A general treatment of autism with a brief and inaccurate reference to FCT (pp. 142-3).
Facilitated communication was started several years ago in Australia where it continues to be used to help people suffering from dyslexia, autism, stammering and depression. <Wrong.> This method does not purport to cure autism but is merely an aid to helping the person communicate.
Goode, D., 1994, A World Without Words: The Social Construction of Children Born Deaf and Blind, Temple University Press, Philadelphia, ISBN 1-56639-215-2
"The result of studies of two children with congenital deaf-blindness and mental retardation... discusses the implications of the work for some current issues of the disabilities field, such as 'inclusion', 'quality of life', and 'facilitated communication."
Grandin, T., 1995, Thinking in Pictures, Doubleday, New York
A page on FCT, taken largely from Rimland (con) and Berger (pro).
It is likely that the truth about facilitated communication is somewhere between wishful hand-pushing and real communication.
Also some interesting details of autistic perceptions.
Hart, C., 1993, A Parent's Guide to Autism, Pocket Books, New York
Contains chapter on FCT. Reports critics, but generally positive. Gives extensive instructions.
Maurice, C., Green, G., & Luce, S., 1996, Behavioural Intervention for Young Children with Autism: A Manual for Parents and Professionals, Pro-ed, Austin, Texas
Manual edited by parents. Recommends Lovaas approach. Contains several chapters by Gina Green analysing other approaches, including FCT, negatively.
...others continue to believe in (and practice) Facilitated Communication. Clearly, such service-providers should be avoided.
Oppenheim, R. F., 1974, Effective teaching methods for autistic children., Charles Thomas , Illinois.
First published record of the use of FCT techniques with significant numbers of people. Pioneering and still valuable manual on teaching people with autism to communicate.
Most of the autistic children whom we have taught have learned to read without difficulty, often before they develop speech. Writing, however, is another story. Many autistic youngsters have major problems in controlling pencils, chalk or crayons. This disability appears to be more pronounced in nonverbal children... ...we usually teach writing by manipulating the child's hand, and thus feeding in the motor patterns. We believe that the autistic child's difficulties stem from a definite apraxia... There seems to be a basic deficiency in certain areas of his motor expressive behaviour. So, in teaching writing, we find that it is usually necessary to continue to guide the child's hand for a considerable period of time. Gradually, however, we are able to fade this to a mere touch of a finger on the child's writing hand. We're uncertain about precisely what purpose this finger-touching serves. What we do know is that the quality of the writing deteriorates appreciably without it, despite the fact that the finger is in no way guiding the child's writing hand. "I can't remember how to write the letters without your finger touching my skin' one nonverbal child responded... The problem is not recognition, but rather execution, in retaining the mental image of required motor patterning. Ultimately, however, the finger-touching can be eliminated, and the child does write without it, although some children want the touch of a finger on some other bodily surface, such as the head, in order to write.
Roopnarine, J., & Johnson, J., 1992, Approaches to Early Childhood Education, 2nd Ed, Merrill, New York
Special education textbook. Brief account of FCT.
Some young children for whom speech is absent, delayed or deviant can spell their wants and needs on a keyboard with physical support. This method is called 'facilitated communication'. ... With this method, children have been able to spell words and sentences that are apparently at a much higher level than would be expected of even a 'normal' child of 3 or 4. Some children have demonstrated extraordinary literacy skills and can spell what they cannot speak. These children's abilities to read and type has compelled us to revise totally our expectations and understanding of their cognitive potential.
Siegel, B., 1996, The World of the Autistic Child, Oxford, NY
Brief unfavourable mention.
By and large, FC is a hoax that has managed to deceive many parents and teachers because it appeals to a longing for a normal child to be 'inside'.
Silverson, F., 1995, Communication for the Speechless, 403 pp, ISBN 0-13-184870-4
"This text will be of most use in courses where the primary goal is preparing students for clinical work with persons who are severely communicatively impaired... New approaches and services, such as facilitated communication and telecommunications relay services are covered."
Sinason, V., 1992, Mental Handicap and the Human Condition, Free Association Books, London.
A poetic psychiatric interpretation of intellectual disability. Contains (ch. 8) an account of FCT as used in House M, Denmark (See Johnson, 1988 & Johnson, 1989, Journals).
The residents of House M know their staff are catering for both their highest functioning and their lowest. No-one is denying their right to be alive and feel and think. This means that they are faced with their own internal enemy. Nietzsche understands this interplay well. 'Under conditions of peace the warlike man attacks himself.'
Sobsey, D., 1994, Violence and Abuse in the Lives of People with Disabilities, Paul H. Brookes, Baltimore
Contains a balanced discussion of FCT in the section on Law and Law Enforcement.
Even if it is valid in 99% of cases, it may not be valid in the case of the particular witness in question. If it is invalid in 99% of cases, but it is legitiumate for the witness at hand, he or she should be allowed to use it.
Williams, D., 1996, Like Color to the Blind: Soul Searching and Soul Finding, Bantam, New York
Records Williams' discussions with a person with autism given the name Alex.
Alex's writing was typed via a method called facilitated communication, in which he received physical assistance in order to type. His writing was almost overwhelmingly deep, sweepingly poetic, and shatteringly real - the words of a teenager and a genius trapped in the straitjacket of autism.
Zaretsky, H., Eisenberg, M., & Glueckauf, R., 1993, Medical Aspects of Disability, a handbook for the rehabilitation professional, Springer, New York
Brief favourable mention, based on Biklen's early articles. Regrettably, Biklen is spelt Bicklin throughout.
I would very much appreciate any suggestions for additions to this bibliography. I can be reached by e-mail at cborthwick@vichealth.vic.gov.au.
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