Presuming competence was never meant to be conditional. Yet some approaches in our field are quietly recreating the same barriers we set out to dismantle. Families and educators are being told “not yet” when students seek new tools or pathways. This piece calls us back to our foundation: access first, always, and learning environments that adapt to the student—not the other way around.

The journey of parenting a nonspeaking autistic child can feel incredibly lonely. Too often, parents find themselves navigating complex systems, advocating for services they barely understand, and searching for resources that seem impossible to find. But what if that isolation could transform into connection? What if uncertainty could become confidence?

"I have set higher expectations for him and now expose him to age appropriate information and activities. He has felt this difference and responded with more confidence." - Deb H., Parent A quiet revolution is happening: educators are discovering their nonspeaking students are hungry for intellectual challenge and capable of far more than anyone imagined. Ready to join the academic revolution? Read more →