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Research

EXCERPT FROM THE BELOW VIDEO:

“So as you may know there are critics who insist that non-speaking individuals who communicate in the way you just saw [spelling on a letterboard] could not possibly be conveying their own thoughts. They think that the assistant is somehow cueing the user to particular letters or moving the letterboard under their finger in some kind of a ouija-board-like fashion. I think what this position reflects is disbelief, that someone who cannot communicate effectively using speech, who is autistic, who moves in unusual ways, who may act in socially non-normative ways, could have sophisticated thoughts ... . I think it also suggests that the critics haven’t actually had the opportunity to spend much time with non-speaking autistic folks who spell. Unfortunately, however, the critics have succeeded in preventing non-speaking autistic people from having access to this and related methods in schools and other settings. The non-speaking folks that I know ... are absolutely aware of these critics and they’re absolutely aware that their communicative agency has been questioned or denied. And it’s taken an incredible mental toll on them. Imagine being denied access to the only effective means of communication you have. Not being supported in school to use it, and having no way to participate or gain an education. And all this because a small but strangely influential group of people who’ve never met, or have interacted with you, has decided that you could not possibly be conveying your own thoughts.”
—Dr. Vikram Jaswal

Community support and cognitive science help flourish non-speaking autistics

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Community support and cognitive science help flourish non-speaking autistics (talk by Dr. Vikram Jaswal at the Rethinking Autism for the 21st Century Symposium, April, 2023)

 

Misconceptions about autistic people—especially non speaking autistic people— abound. In this talk, Professor Jaswal describes how his lab at the University of Virginia has been collaborating with non speaking autistic people and using the tools of cognitive science to correct some of these misconceptions. He offers examples from research that his lab has conducted on communication, literacy, and augmented reality. More accurately characterizing the strengths of non speaking autistic people, as well as the challenges they face, is essential to creating environments where they can flourish.

More links and research studies

September 2024 • Dr. Vikram K. Jaswal, Dr. Diwakar Krishnamurthy, Ahmadreza Nazari, Dr. Lorans Alabood, Molly K. Rathburn
Evaluating Gaze Interactions within AR for Nonspeaking Autistic Users​
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February 2024 • Dr. Vikram K. Jaswal

Literacy in nonspeaking autistic people

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13623613241230709?fbclid=IwAR2nUe9BRsSKF5P0UdrjbTpK0R1PqJ8kmiCp03hikTiymbmupj_Xcg7YNIQ_aem_AdUZyJKCUr0gDmnarOjzg1q756lVOrNEIUkMcLEBqGKu185bq2DCRb0yhNfibtV7jYA

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August 2023 • University of Calgary News

“Augmented reality technology helps non-speaking autistic population find their voice”

https://ucalgary.ca/news/augmented-reality-technology-helps-non-speaking-autistic-population-find-their-voice

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November 2023 • Mentoring Minds Autism Services & UofC

Luke participating in the HoloLens research project, Eye Gazing technology first ever person to test this tech.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_nP5mlmUfQ

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2018–2022 • United for Communication

A collection of peer-reviewed literature that works to validate these methods: 

https://unitedforcommunicationchoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/UCC-Supportive-Research-Compilation-Version-7-FINAL-042522.pdf
 

https://unitedforcommunicationchoice.org/research/

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I-ASC (International Association for Spelling as Communication) Research page

https://i-asc.org/research/

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Dr. Diwakar Krishnamurthy links and videos

https://profiles.ucalgary.ca/diwakar-krishnamurthy

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A COLLECTION OF RESEARCH PAPERS (2022–2024)

Dr.Krishnamurthy research papers/projects which Luke participated in (first and second bullet), and also included are the links to previous studies related to the ETHEREAL research group. 

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Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience
Touch may reduce cognitive load during assisted typing by individuals with developmental disabilities

https://www.frontiersin.org/.../fnint.2023.1181025/full

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Brain Foundation Funded Research

https://brainfoundation.org/funded-research/
Specifically: 

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This is Luke L Pattern Yellow

“I shouldn’t have to fight this hard. All of this is my right.” 

 

What is making you so angry? 

“That others make me prove my voice is mine.”

—Luke Verhoeff

Luke Verhoeff
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