• Assessment Day: Questions About the Communication Development of Your Young Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
• “If They Could Only Tell Me What They Are Thinking.” The Need for Augmentative Communication for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
• A Message to Novices and Strangers to ASD: Look for Behavioral Communication
• Aiding Comprehension of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders During One-on-One Interactions
• Can Social Pragmatic Skills Be Tested?
• Communicative Functions or Purposes of Communication
• Comprehension of the Message: Important Considerations for Following Directions
• First Steps and the Journey to a Diagnosis of ASD for a Child under Three
• Functional Categories of Delayed Echolalia
• Functional Categories of Immediate Echolalia
• Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Preparation for Emergencies
• Infusing Language/Communication Instruction into the Preschool Classroom: Extension Theme Learning Based on Finding Nemo
• Initial Guidelines for Developing a Communication Intervention Plan for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Significant Limitations in Communication Ability
• Is There a Speech Language Patholgist on Your Behavior Support Team?
• Long and Short Term Strategies for Reducing Specific Repetitive Questions
• Successfully Using PECS with Children with ASD
• Meeting the Challenge of Social Pragmatics with Students on the Autism Spectrum
• Opportunity to Communicate: A Crucial Aspect of Fostering Communication Development
• Reading with Your School-Age Child: Building Vocabulary One Word at a Time
• Selected Bibliography: Literacy
• Social Communication and Language Characteristics Associated with High Functioning, Verbal Children and Adults with ASD
• Speech Pathology Assessment Resource List
• The 21st Century Speech Language Pathologist and Integrated Services in Classrooms
• The High Functioning Person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder: A "Tourist" in His Native Country
• The Role of the School Speech Language Pathologist and the Student with Autism
• Using Activities of Daily Living to Foster Language/Communication Development
• Using Aided Language to Develop Skills with Augmentative Communication Displays
• Using a Visual Support to Enhance WH Question
• Visual Resources for Enhancing Communication for Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Disabilities
• Visual Schedules and Choice Boards: Avoid Misinterpretation of their Primary Functions
• Visual Supports: Sources for Symbols for Receptive and Expressive Communication
• What is the Picture Exchange Communication System or PECS?
• Articles - Communication
• Articles - Communication
• Articles - Communication
• Articles - Communication
• Articles - Communication
• Articles - Communication
• Articles - Communication
• PICO - A Decision Making Tool For Selecting Apps

Visual Supports: Sources for Symbols for Receptive and Expressive Communication

Contributed by Beverly Vicker, CCC-SLP

Visual symbols such as objects, photos, drawings and text can support the expressive and receptive communicative needs of many individuals on the autism spectrum disorder. Expressive communication can be supported through various visual mediums as the person’s instructional and communication needs and abilities change. Comprehension information can be presented in formats that include topic communication displays, instructional video, choice displays, sequences, social stories, schedules of events or activities, behavioral reminders or guidelines, visually depicted recipes, and graphic organizers. In addition to the visual resources listed by distributor below are a number of books, product and websites. Although the focus is on permanent dynamic or static symbols, a reference for manual signs is also provided to support a total communication approach.

The materials listed below can be obtained from the Center for Disability Information (CeDIR) at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. The staff will also be happy to assist patrons in locating other materials.

• To contact CeDIR, call 1-800-825-4733 (toll free in Indiana) or 1-812-855-9396 (voice/TTY).
• Their website is located at www.iidc.indiana.edu/cedir.
• Only Indiana residents may check out materials either on site or by phone call and mail delivery.
• Indiana residents are responsible for mailing materials back to the CeDIR library.

Selected Books

Arwood, E. L. & Kaulitz. (2007). Learning with a visual brain in an auditory world: Visual language strategies for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Company.

Beukelman, D., & Miranda, P. (2005). Augmentative and alternative communication: Supporting children and adults with complex communication needs. (3rd ed.) Baltimore, MD: Paul Brookes Publishing Company.

Bondy, A. & Frost, L. (2002). A picture’s worth: PECS and other visual communication strategies in autism. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.

Bornstein, H., Saulnier, K.L., & Hamilton, L.B. (Eds.). (1983). Comprehensive Signed English dictionary. Washington, DC: Gallaudet Press.

Cohen, M. (2007). Visual supports for people with autism: A guide for parents and professionals. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine House.

Hodgdon, L. (1995). Visual strategies for improving communication (Vol. 1): Practical supports for school and home. Solana Beach, CA: Mayer-Johnson Company.

Hodgdon, L. (1999). Solving behavior problems in autism: Improving communication with visual strategies. Solana Beach, CA: Mayer-Johnson Company.

Savner, J. L. & Myles, B. S. (2002). Making visual supports work in the home and community. Shawnee Mission, KS: Autism Asperger Publishing Company.

Zysk, V. & Notbohm, E. (2004). 1001 Great ideas for teaching and raising children with autism spectrum disorder. Arlington, TX: Future Horizons.

Miscellaneous Information

• Computer images from a digital camera or a scanner can supplement commercial resources. These can be used as a primary source for visual symbols since such use would allow customization and personalization of visual images.
• Video productions are increasingly becoming a source for visual support/assistance with comprehension and instruction; many students with ASD seem very responsive to this medium. Check educational, speech and hearing, and autism distributor catalogues for videos/DVDs supporting social skills, emotions, and other skills areas. Some of these same catalogues will have print/picture materials that can be used for instruction.
• Many examples of graphic organizers are contained in materials that can usually be purchased in a school supply store or can be located on line through sites such as http://eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/ or http://edhelper.com/teachers/graphic_organizers.htm,
• References related to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) programming are located in the communication and augmentative communication bibliographies available on the website of the Indiana Resource Center for Autism (http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/). Also of relevance is the article entitled Visual Schedules and Choice Boards: Avoid Misinterpretation of their Primary Functions.

Other Websites with Useful Information, Pictures, or Links

• Augmentative Resources. http://www.augresources.com/
• Do2Learn. http://www.dotolearn.com/
• Beyond Autism. http://trainland.tripod.com/
• Pics4Learning. http://pics.tech4learning.com/

Distributors of Visual Symbol Materials

The following listings are for information purposes only; no endorsement of companies, distributors, or products is implied by Indiana University, by the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, or by the Indiana Resource Center for Autism.

Products: Pictured materials, CD, and DVD sources for picture cues for daily living, community access and following directions; Boardmaker also available.

Products: Bumble Bee DVDs-Action Words and Vocabulary Builder. DVDs to teach simple signing, individual picture cards for comprehension instruction.

Products: Software - Picture It, PIX Writer, Writing with Symbols, Picture This, Clicker 5, Kidspiration.

Products: Pictures for American Sign Language and Signed English concepts and vocabulary are depicted within books. Book sales from various sources are outsourced to Amazon.com. Gallaudet University Press publications can be viewed at http://gupress.gallaudet.edu.

Products: Clicker 5, Boardmaker, Overboard, Writing with Symbols.

Products: Software – IntelliKeys, Overlay Maker,and Math Pad (allows math to be done directly on one’s computer).

Products: ISPEEK at Home; ISPEEK at School.

Products: Eye-cons (a collection of drawings on CD-ROM or customized printout).

Products: Boardmaker; Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) and PCS books. Software - Visual Essentials, Places You Go, Things You Do; tool box of clip art; video sign language dictionary.

Products: Pics for PECS picture CD.

Products: Picture This; Places You Go, Things You Do; Functional Living Skills; School Routines and Rules, Visual Foods; and Visual Essentials.

Products: Software - Picture It (adds symbols to text); PixWriter.

Products: Numerous types and sizes of timers: enter “time timer” in search engine.

Vicker, B. 2009. Visual supports: Sources for symbols for receptive and expressive communication. Bloomington, IN: Indiana Resource Center for Autism.