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Language & Labels Matter
Presuming Competence
Watch your free mini-lesson about how the words we use matter and how presuming competence is the least dangerous assumption we can make about a person.
Then keep scrolling for an amazing offer!
“I like to call myself nonspeaking because I can communicate by spelling words instead of speaking. Nonverbal implies I do not understand words. How can I communicate with words if I
am nonverbal?"
- Philip R
Ready to make changes that will let you be a more confident, knowledgeable support for the nonspeaking people in your life?
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Unlock both our Language & Labels Matter and Presuming Competence modules!
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Presuming Competence Modules Access
65
Access two modules - Language & Labels Matter and Presuming Competence - from our full course.
Valid until canceled
Module 2 - Language & Labels Matter (20 minutes)
Module 3 - Presuming Competence (49 minutes)
Lifetime Access!
a collaboration among
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We believe communication is a basic human right.
What can you expect
from our modules?
Listen to Nonspeaking Presenters
Our team at Communication for Education believes very deeply that any training created to support nonspeaking autistic people needs to be informed by their lived experiences and expertise. From its inception, our course has been designed to include the voices of nonspeakers, both as contributors and content reviewers.
Hear from Powerhouse Professionals
When we developed our training for folks supporting nonspeaking individuals, we knew that we needed to include as many lived experiences as possible, both from nonspeaking autistic individuals themselves and from a diverse group of thought leaders in the disability community. Our work is shaped by some incredibly knowledgeable and experienced professionals as well.
Download Course PDFs and Resources
Each module of our course offers pages of handouts in downloadable PDFs. You'll have access to key concepts from the module, words of wisdom from nonspeakers, and references for the research that supports the module, and lists for further reading from more books and websites.
Learn with our Team
Our core instructional team consists of Dr. Edlyn Peña, Lisa Mihalich Quinn, and Julie Sando. Together the three have trained more than 350 communication partners to serve nonspeaking students in educational, home, social, and community settings.
Module Presenters
Tim Jin, Disability Rights Advocate, Disability Voices United
Justice Killebrew, Nonspeaking Autistic Student
Parisa Khosravi, Former Journalist & News Executive
Payam, Nonspeaking Autistic Student
Language & Labels Matter:
Module Objectives
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Differentiate between person-first and identity-first language and address why more people are preferring identity-first language
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Identify the harmful effects of functioning labels
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Explore the distinction between “nonverbal” and “nonspeaking”
Presuming Competence:
Module Objectives
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Recognize the differences between age-appropriate education and special education
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Distinguish between presuming knowledge and presuming competence
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Interact with students in ways that speak to who they are on the inside
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Understand that incorrect responses may be a problem of execution (motor and sensory) not a problem of understanding (cognition)
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Learn how to reframe language from a deficit perspective to a strengths-based perspective
Unlock the Entire Course
Want to learn about more than just this one topic?
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All of our full course options offer you:
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15 modules packed with in-depth learning
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example videos of students and communication partners in action
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over 250 pages of downloadable resources
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Our live / hybrid model offers you:
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8 weeks of live online classes with course instructors
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weekly homework tailored to course instruction
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cohort discussion board
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feedback on one submitted video
Presuming Competence Modules Access
65
Access two modules - Language & Labels Matter and Presuming Competence - from our full course.
Valid until canceled
Module 2 - Language & Labels Matter (20 minutes)
Module 3 - Presuming Competence (49 minutes)
Lifetime Access!
“I used to spend every day in a self-contained autism classroom and it slowly became torture. The adults who worked with me were so kind, but I was treated like a toddler no matter how many years passed. Finally getting access to appropriate education saved my life.”
- William A
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