Facilitated Communication

A technique in which a facilitator provides physical support to a person with a communication disability — typically by holding or steadying the person's hand, arm, or wrist — as they point to letters, words, or pictures on a communication board or keyboard. Originally promoted as a way for non-speaking individuals with autism, intellectual disabilities, or cerebral palsy to communicate, facilitated communication has been the subject of significant scientific controversy. Controlled studies have consistently shown that the facilitator, rather than the person being supported, is typically the source of the messages produced, through an unconscious process similar to the ideomotor effect. Major professional organisations including the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the American Psychological Association have issued position statements against FC, classifying it as a discredited technique. Despite this, it continues to be used in some settings, raising ethical concerns about authorship and consent.