Nonspeaking Autism, "The Telepathy Tapes," and Who Gets to Be Heard

"For most of the 20th century, nonspeaking autistic people were treated as if they had nothing to say. Because they couldn't speak, it was also assumed (by some) that they couldn't think. Standard intelligence tests-built around verbal and motor responses-cemented this view, labeling many as profoundly disabled. 1-3 Yet families and advocates kept insisting that something was wrong with this picture. 4-8 They saw flashes of comprehension, humor, and insight that the tests missed."

"Back in the 1980s and 90s, a method called Facilitated Communication (FC) swept through classrooms and therapy centers. It involved lightly supporting a nonspeaking person's hand or arm as they typed or pointed to letters. Some messages were stunning-complex, poetic, and deeply human. But when scientists tested the method under controlled conditions, they found a troubling pattern: messages often matched what the facilitator knew, not what the nons"

The Telepathy Tapes presented nonspeaking autistic individuals who seemed to convey thoughts and perceptions through nontraditional means, drawing millions of viewers and polarizing opinion. Historical practices treated nonspeaking people as lacking thought because of test designs that relied on verbal and motor responses. Families reported evidence of comprehension and humor overlooked by standard measures. Recent eye-tracking studies show letterboard users fixate on target letters before pointing, indicating intentional communication rather than random movement. The history of Facilitated Communication revealed facilitator-influenced messages in controlled tests, creating enduring controversy. The situation raises ethical and scientific questions about access, evaluation methods, and who is granted credibility.

Read at Psychology Today