An Objective Analysis of Facilitated Communication - What Works and What Doesn't
Speakers:
Bill Ahern, Ph.D., BCBA
Director of Research
New England Center for Children
Southboro, MA
Raymond G. Romanczyk, Ph.D., BCBA
Professor and Director
Institute for Child Development
Binghamton University
Binghamton, NY
Facilitated Communication is a controversial technique that purportedly allows mute and otherwise linguistically impared children and adults with autism to communicate. FC has also been used among individuals with other severe developmental disabilities, brain injuries, mental retardation, and serious communication impairments.
However, numerous carefully controlled peer-reviewed studies provide extensive and convincing evidence against FC. These investigations demonstrate that the seeming success of FC is due to facilitator's unintentional control over the individual's hand movements - the well known "Ouija board" effect. Indeed, the American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Association on Mental Retardation, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Association for Behavior Analysis, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the New York State Department of Health have all issued policy statements advising against the use of FC for autism.
The controversy is of particular interest to Upstate New York skeptics since Douglas Biklen, a well-known proponent of facilitated communication, was recently appointed dean of the School of Education at Syracuse University. Syracuse University has been criticized for appointing Biklen because of Biklen's involvement with FC.
Please join us for presentations from our guests on this and other treatments for children with autism, including an examination of the psychology that causes people to believe that FC works. A question and answer period will follow.
Note: Dr. Biklen was invited to participate, but declined. However, another FC practitioner will make a presentation at an upcoming meeting.
Wednesday, November 16 at 7 PM at the Betts Branch Library.
Betts Branch Library
4862 S. Salina St.
(just south of Seneca Turnpike)
Syracuse, New York
Speakers:
Bill Ahern, Ph.D., BCBA
Director of Research
New England Center for Children
Southboro, MA
Raymond G. Romanczyk, Ph.D., BCBA
Professor and Director
Institute for Child Development
Binghamton University
Binghamton, NY
Facilitated Communication is a controversial technique that purportedly allows mute and otherwise linguistically impared children and adults with autism to communicate. FC has also been used among individuals with other severe developmental disabilities, brain injuries, mental retardation, and serious communication impairments.
However, numerous carefully controlled peer-reviewed studies provide extensive and convincing evidence against FC. These investigations demonstrate that the seeming success of FC is due to facilitator's unintentional control over the individual's hand movements - the well known "Ouija board" effect. Indeed, the American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Association on Mental Retardation, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Association for Behavior Analysis, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the New York State Department of Health have all issued policy statements advising against the use of FC for autism.
The controversy is of particular interest to Upstate New York skeptics since Douglas Biklen, a well-known proponent of facilitated communication, was recently appointed dean of the School of Education at Syracuse University. Syracuse University has been criticized for appointing Biklen because of Biklen's involvement with FC.
Please join us for presentations from our guests on this and other treatments for children with autism, including an examination of the psychology that causes people to believe that FC works. A question and answer period will follow.
Note: Dr. Biklen was invited to participate, but declined. However, another FC practitioner will make a presentation at an upcoming meeting.
Wednesday, November 16 at 7 PM at the Betts Branch Library.
Betts Branch Library
4862 S. Salina St.
(just south of Seneca Turnpike)
Syracuse, New York