AAC practitioners and researchers have developed non-speech communication strategies and technology greatly during the past 30 years. This article concentrates on one of them: the Facilitated Communication Method. The aim of this research is to describe the facilitated communication method in the light of the perceptions and experiences of facilitators (N= 11) who have assisted handicapped people with expressing themselves with this method. The purpose is to bring out the use of the method, its preconditions and functionality, especially among autistic people. The data was gathered by semi-structured interviews. The research was based on a qualitative research paradigm with a phenomenographic method. The results show that no common formula for how to make the facilitated communication method succeed can be found, because every communication situation is different. However, the method aids many people with communication disabilities who are searching for a communication method that supports speech replacement.
The article is the voice of a parent on the issue of upbringing and supporting a child with autism. The author presents the moment of the birth of his daughter, Salome. Then he describes his becoming accustomed to autism and learning to live in the new conditions. The text looks at both hardships and successes experienced by Salome and her family, and it draws attention to the most important issues in working with an autistic child – acceptance, under-standing, individualization and willingness to cooperate and to provide help to a child with autism.
PL
Artykuł jest głosem rodzica na temat wychowania i wspierania dziecka z autyzmem. Autor opisuje moment pojawienia się na świecie córki Sa-lome, po czym nawiązuje do „oswajania autyzmu” i uczenia się życia w nowych warunkach. W tekście przedstawiono trudności oraz sukcesy doświadczane przez Salome oraz jej rodzinę. Artykuł zwraca również uwagę na najważniejsze kwestie dotyczące pracy z dzieckiem z autyzmem – akceptację, zrozumienie, indywidu-alizację, chęć współpracy oraz niesienia pomocy dziecku i jego rodzinie.
JavaScript is turned off in your web browser. Turn it on to take full advantage of this site, then refresh the page.