Investigation of authorship in facilitated communication

Author(s): Hanson, D., Wakeham, J.

Journal/Book: Ment Retard. 1996; 34: 444 N Capitol St, NW, Ste 846, Washington, DC 20001-1512. Amer Assn Mental Retardation. 231-242.

Abstract: We examined whether facilitated communication users, under controlled condition, could transmit rudimentary information to a naive facilitator. Forty-three students across 10 classrooms were shown a single randomly selected word with their facilitator out of the room. The facilitator then entered the room and asked the student to type the word, which was recorded exactly as typed and later evaluated; approximately 3,800 attempts were conducted over a 6-week period. Results showed that (a) under controlled conditions, some facilitated communication users can pass accurate information and (b) measurement of facilitated communication under test conditions may be significantly benefitted by extensive practice of the test protocol, which could partially account for the inability of several past studies to verify facilitated communication-user originated output.

Note: Article VS-Card DN Cardinal, Chapman Univ, Sch Educ, Ctr Educ & Social Equ, Orange, CA 92666 USA

Keyword(s): AUTISM; WORDS

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