The Effectiveness of A Light on Literacy for Autism: A Case Control Study (Treatment Grant)

While great effort goes into teaching spoken language to children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), relatively little effort is directed towards teaching the other form of language that is central to human communication: namely, written language. This situation is particularly true of children in the ASD population who do not speak. Their limited speech has generally led to the view that these children are so impaired that any effort to teach written language would be futile. While few, there have been cases reported of extensive written language abilities in these individuals. If non-verbal children could be taught written language, they would then have access to the invaluable skills of language and communication that has otherwise been denied to them. The research that will be conducted will implement with non-speaking children a program entitled A Light on Literacy which has been developed by Dr. Marion Blank specifically for children with ASD. Through its use of specialized techniques that teach writing (both handwriting and keyboarding), the program provides the children with a mode for expressive language. At the completion of the program, it is expected that the children will have attained a set of skills that, in the past, have been considered beyond the reach of this population. This includes not simply word recognition and word creation, but in addition, comprehending and producing sentences connoting past, present and future, and answering questions about objects and events in the past, present and future.