Prisoners of Silence 25 Years Later: A Look at the Impacts of Critical Reporting on Facilitated Communication

A panel presentation session for the 7th Annual International Critical Media Conference, Savannah, G.A.

In 1993, Frontline produced a special report on a purported breakthrough in expressive communication for individuals with Autism called Facilitated Communication (FC). The impacts of this report were immediate, simultaneously introducing and immediately disproving the method to the public. Sparking fierce debate, the report around the conclusions that the method was abusive to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) users and their facilitators. Despite years of repeated empirical experimental evidence demonstrating the dangers of this practice, its use has persisted and is still supported in some corners of the academic community. The echoes of the initial critical reporting still ring in current debates. The presenter will explore the issue through this historical context, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the critical reporting in moving the discussion forward. Implications for educating the public will be discussed.