Unlocking Voices With Spelling to Communicate

Spelling to Communicate (S2C) is an alternative communication method designed to break down barriers for individuals who are nonspeaking, minimally speaking, or unable to speak reliably. S2C uses a hierarchy of letterboards, beginning with large 3-inch letterboards, progressing to a 26-letter board, and eventually moving to laminated boards or keyboards. At the core of S2C is the principle of presuming competence—the least dangerous assumption—that individuals can and do want to learn. Nonspeaking individuals who communicate through letterboards consistently advocate that they are listening, understanding, and thinking deeply. The barrier is not comprehension, but apraxia of the body, which interferes with the ability to express thoughts through speech or fine motor movements. S2C shifts communication away from fine motor demands and into gross motor movement. Through structured practice, spellers work on motor planning, control, accuracy, and stamina. In the beginning, a Communication Regulation Partner (CRP) provides verbal, directional, and gestural prompts to help guide the body to the correct letters on the board. With repeated practice, accuracy improves and stamina increases. As this happens, prompts are gradually faded. This process supports synchronization between the mind and body, allowing neural pathways to become strengthened and myelinated, making communication easier over time. As spellers become more fluent, the CRP provides initiation prompts as needed, supports regulation, and dictates or records the speller’s words. Even the most seasoned spellers may require support from time to time. Unlike many AAC methods that rely on pre-programmed words or phrases, S2C harnesses the full power of the alphabet. Once spellers become fluent on the 26-letter board, they are able to independently share their own thoughts, ideas, opinions, and knowledge—an outcome that is both transformative and empowering. S2C is used by individuals with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, Angelman syndrome, Rett syndrome, and other conditions that impact speech. It is often discovered that even individuals who can speak orally have a much richer and more complex internal vocabulary. In some cases, apraxia can cause spoken or motor-based communication to misrepresent what the individual actually intends to say. S2C allows access to communication that is more accurate and authentic. Wouldn’t it be great to not have to guess what our nonspeakers are thinking? S2C was developed in 2010 by speech pathologist Elizabeth Vosseller, a pioneer in communication access for nonspeaking individuals. She is a continual advocate for the rights and capabilities of spellers and is the co-founder of the International Association for Spelling to Communicate (I-ASC), an organization dedicated to supporting and promoting S2C worldwide.