Communication

What communication really means

Communication is how we share what we think, feel, and need. People communicate through talking, writing, pointing, gesturing, drawing, typing, using pictures, and many other methods. For many neurodivergent people, speaking out loud is difficult or not possible at all. That does not mean they have nothing to say. It means they need a different path to say it.

Nonspeaking and minimally speaking

Some people are nonspeaking — they do not use spoken words as their main way of communicating. Some people are minimally speaking, meaning they have some speech but it is limited or unreliable. Some can speak in some situations but not others. All of these experiences are valid. The goal of communication support is never to force speech. The goal is to make sure every person has a reliable way to express themselves.

Presuming competence

Presuming competence means assuming that every person — regardless of whether or how they speak — has thoughts, ideas, and the capacity to learn and communicate. This is not optimism. It is the ethical foundation of neurodiversity-affirming practice. When we stop assuming a person does not understand, we open the door to real communication.