Supporting Nonverbal Children at School: What Parents Need to Know

When a child is nonverbal or has limited speech, parents often worry about how they will navigate the busy, language-rich environment of a school. How will they make friends? How will they ask for help? How will their teacher know how smart they truly are? The key to unlocking your child's potential at school is to advocate for robust communication supports in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) and to ensure the entire school team operates from a core belief: presuming competence.

Understanding Nonverbal Communication: More Than Just Speech

Nonverbal does not mean unable to communicate. Many nonverbal children express themselves through a rich mix of gestures, facial expressions, body language, vocalizations, sign language, or technology. Some children may use a combination of these methods, and their communication can change depending on the environment, their comfort level, or who they are with.

• Gestures and Body Language: Pointing, reaching, nodding, or even eye gaze can be powerful ways to communicate needs and preferences.

• Sign Language or Modified Signs: Some children use American Sign Language (ASL) or a simplified version to express themselves.

• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): Exchanging pictures or symbols to make requests, answer questions, or comment.

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices: These range from simple single-message buttons to dynamic speech-generating tablets with robust vocabulary.

It’s important to recognize that communication is a right, not a privilege. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools must provide the tools and instruction necessary for a child to have an effective means of communication. This is a fundamental part of providing a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

What Help Can and Should the School Provide?

Your child’s IEP should be a comprehensive plan for communication support across their entire school day, not just during speech therapy. Key supports include:

• Comprehensive AAC Evaluation: If your child doesn't have a robust communication system, request an AAC evaluation by a specialist. This should consider your child’s motor skills, cognitive abilities, sensory needs, and preferences. The evaluation should not be rushed—sometimes, trialing different devices or systems is necessary to find the best fit.

• Access to and Training on AAC Devices: The school is responsible for providing the recommended AAC device and ensuring that your child, their teachers, and their aides are all trained on how to use it effectively. The device should be available to your child in all settings—the classroom, specials, lunch, and recess. Training should be ongoing, not a one-time event.

• Speech-Language Therapy: The focus of speech therapy may not be on producing speech, but on building communication skills. This could include learning to use their AAC device to form sentences, ask questions, or tell stories. Therapy should also address pragmatic language—how to use communication for social interaction, not just requesting items.

• Visual Supports: Tools like visual schedules, first/then boards, and social stories help make the day predictable and provide a visual means of understanding expectations and transitions. These supports can reduce anxiety and help your child anticipate what’s next.

• Peer Communication Opportunities: The IEP should include goals and strategies for your child to interact with peers, not just adults. This might mean training classmates on how to use the AAC device, setting up peer buddy systems, or including your child in group work with appropriate supports.

• Generalization Across Settings: Communication support should not be limited to the classroom. The IEP should specify how your child will be supported to communicate during specials, lunch, recess, field trips, and assemblies.

Evidence and Documentation: Building Your Case

When you go to an IEP meeting, you are the expert on your child’s communication. Bring evidence to help the team understand their abilities.

• Private Evaluations: A report from a private speech-language pathologist, developmental pediatrician, or AAC specialist can provide powerful recommendations. These reports often include detailed observations, trial data with different devices, and specific suggestions for school.

• Communication Logs and Videos: Keep a log of how your child communicates at home and in the community. Take short videos of your child successfully using their signs, PECS book, or AAC device. These can be especially persuasive in showing the team what your child is capable of when given the right tools.

• Teacher and Therapist Input: Ask for written input from anyone who works with your child outside of school—private therapists, respite workers, or community program staff. Their observations can highlight skills or needs that the school may not see.

Navigating Common Ambiguities and Pitfalls

You may encounter outdated mindsets or resource limitations. Be prepared to advocate firmly but collaboratively.

• If the school says, "He’ll talk when he’s ready; an AAC device will be a crutch": This is a debunked myth. Decades of research show that AAC does not prevent speech development; in fact, it often supports it by reducing frustration and providing a model for language. You can politely state, "My understanding of the current research is that AAC supports language development. My child needs an effective way to communicate now to access their education."

• If staff aren't trained in AAC: You have the right to request that training for all relevant staff (teachers, aides, therapists) be written directly into the IEP. Training should be ongoing and include troubleshooting, programming, and modeling language on the device.

• If your child is excluded from activities: Communication support is key to inclusion. The IEP should specify how your child will be supported to participate in group work, specials, and social time. This might mean providing visual supports, pre-teaching vocabulary, or assigning a peer buddy.

• Device Not Used Consistently: Sometimes, a device is provided but sits unused. The IEP should include clear expectations for daily use, integration into classroom routines, and regular data collection on how and when the device is used.

• Limited Vocabulary or Access: Some teams limit the vocabulary on a device to only a few words. Research shows that children need access to a robust vocabulary—including words for social interaction, feelings, and academic content—to develop language and literacy.

Empowering Your Child by Presuming Competence

Perhaps the most important thing you can advocate for is a change in mindset. Presuming competence means believing that your child has thoughts, feelings, and intelligence, even if they cannot express them through speech. It means you talk to them, not at them. You give them age-appropriate lessons and provide them with the tools to show what they know.

• High Expectations: Expect your child to learn, participate, and grow. Avoid “babying” or underestimating them because they do not speak.

• Adapted Assessments: Ask how your child will be assessed. Can they show knowledge by pointing, using their device, or choosing pictures? The IEP should specify alternative ways to demonstrate learning.

• Inclusion in All Activities: Your child has the right to participate in all aspects of school life—field trips, assemblies, art, music, and PE. The IEP should address how communication will be supported in each setting.

When you advocate at school, frame your requests around this principle. In your IEP meeting, ask: "How can we adapt this lesson so my child can show us what they’ve learned using their device?" By consistently holding high expectations and demanding the right tools, you are not just securing services—you are giving your child a voice.

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Disclaimer: This post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Ohio estate planning laws can change, and outcomes depend on your personal circumstances and the evidence available. Always review your situation carefully before making decisions.