Reach Every Voice

04/29/2026

We're moving out of April with a quote NOT from one of our students. As we move into May, we're going to continue amplifying our students' voices (because that's just what we do...) and we're also going to be sharing some must-read resources.

Today, we start with Sincerely, Your Autistic Child

What a difference it makes in our mindset and our teaching when we presume competence in our students and embrace the understanding that what may look like "bad behavior" is quite possibly the response of a brain-body disconnect.

Thank you for joining us this month and sharing our students' voices so widely. Let's keep it up until all those who most need to see these posts have them sprinkled throughout their feeds.

04/28/2026

We see this all the time in schools.

People are doing the same drills they've been doing since their students were in kindergarten and now they're in 10th grade.

They have the same IEP goals.

They're still working on the same basic tasks.

Don't we want to ask the question, WHY?

How would you feel if at the age of 5 and the age of 15 you were working on the same thing?

Is it really that you don't know what you're doing or have you become so disenfranchised in this entire "educational" process that you've just stopped caring?

Nick, who is now an adult, has been reflecting on things he wishes his teachers would have known, and he has this to share:

"There is no need to work on days of the week for years. Imagine the amount of time spent on that over the course of segregated students' lives that could have been used to teach real information. After you turn five or six you should be released from calendar time jail."

[id: a photo of Nick in a red sweatshirts, pointing to something on a whiteboard held by his communication partner Leslie. He is seated at a table in a classroom of other students and their support staff.]

04/27/2026

Thank you to our student Ryan for shining a light on the importance of presuming competence.

"Dear Teachers,

I do not have an intellectual disability, I understand everything going on around me. You must presume competence in my knowledge and treat me my age. Please learn more about how damaging the word "behavior" can be. Brain body disconnect is real."

Ryan Brunner
REV Student

[id: a gray background with bold white letters reading "Dear Teachers" above a cutout of Ryan, a young man with short blonde hair and a blue shirt. Ryan's words are printed in white next to him. The words "listen to all voices" and the reach every voice website are at the top of the image]

04/27/2026

Nick has some simple ways to be an ally to autistic people.

Nick's Tips: advice from a nonspeaking autistic guy

1: Follow autistic creators. There are so many diverse lived experiences among autistic people. Learn from as many as you can.

2: Share our voices; don't claim to be our voice. Unless you inhabit my body and mind, you can't know my thoughts and feelings.

3: Don't assume someone's speech is reliable. I'm scripting as I type this, but it's not what I'm thinking. You have to look past my speech to hear my voice.

4: Stop talking about heavy work of teaching autistic kids. Hearing constantly that you are a burden has lasting effects. If this pretty direct statement offends, try not to shut it out: teachers who need to be told how amazing they are for teaching 'tough' students like me, they should not be teaching.

5: Check yourself before commenting. Don't add to conversations in spaces where you see lots of autistic leaders. Maybe you will learn more by listening than by inserting your two cents.

[id: 7 melon-colored slides that include the five tips shared above as well as a cover that reads, "Nick's Tips: advice from a nonspeaking autistic guy. 5 simple ways to be an ally to autistic people" and a closing slide reminding folks to engage with this post to increase the reach of Nick's words.]

04/27/2026

04/26/2026

So many of our students have what they call "unreliable" speech. They tell us that the words and sounds their mouths produce are not always reflective of what they truly want to be communicating in that moment.

People with verbal apraxia have difficulty planning and programming the moments required for purposeful speech. If you are someone who uses speech as their primary means of communication, chances are you've never thought about speech as a complex motor task.

Our student TJ has, though. And he's asking you to reflect on this.

"I want everyone in my world to list the tiny steps they take to speak. Like moving their tongues. Taming my speech feels a lot like that. Impossible to do."

[id: a photograph of TJ using a pencil to point to a letter on a letterboard held by his communication partner, Dalton.]

04/26/2026

If we don't make it our default practice to presume competence in our students, we will likely - however unintentionally - restrict the opportunities we provide them.

Presuming competence and providing opportunities consistent with high expectations is the LEAST DANGEROUS ASSUMPTION. Why? Because how terrible would it be if we didn't presume competence and we were proven incorrect?

And yes, this applies to EVERYONE. We need to see ALL individuals as capable learners, no matter the extent of their support needs.

image id: a gray background with teal and gray paint streaks. On it is a reminder pop up with the words shared above.

04/25/2026

We're big believers in multi-modal communication.

In addition to their keyboards and letterboards, our students may use their natural speech, an AAC device, sign, or even low-tech yes/no boards.

We're all multi-modal communicators - so why should we restrict our students to just one method of communication?

But we DO hold firm on the inclusion of an alphabet on AAC devices or a button on low-tech displays that says "I want my letterboard."

Why? While many basic wants and needs can be communicated in other ways, we all deserve access to a robust communication system that allows us to express our commentary, our observations, our jokes, and pretty much anything else we want to say.

Our student Ethan shares his perspective on why having access to a way to communicate beyond symbols is so important.

"Before I went to middle school, estimate that I spent six years trying really hard not to be autistic. My sweet, eager teachers asked me to point here or do this, apparently assuming that we could ABA the autism out of my body. I learned how to point so well, but what good does pointing do when the only things to point at are mostly symbols that show a vocabulary even a three year old would outgrow in a month?"

Teaching spelling and literacy to ALL students is crucial for true communication access. After all, having a keyboard means nothing if you've been denied real literacy instruction.

So TEACH IT, MODEL IT, USE IT. Make those 26 letters work for you!

[jd: a photo of Ethan as a 6th grader from above and behind. He is seated at a desk, typing on a keyboard that is connected to his iPad.]

04/24/2026

If you've been underestimated and misunderstood, showing up and trying new things can be incredibly intimidating.

When people have misinterpreted your communication or judged your intelligence, it can feel easier or safer to stick with what you know. With what's comfortable.

But Nick, like so many of our students, shows up every day and puts in the work to make changes in his life.

We think that's brave. And so does Nick. Here's what he has to say about bravery.

"I make decisions every day to have my body and my mind challenged. This might not look like bravery, but it is the bravest thing I do. Most days the safe thing would be to disappear into my iPad in a flurry of YouTube. It takes an active decision to face the challenge of controlling my mind and body each and every day. Don’t assume bravery requires bravado. Even the smallest step takes courage."

[id: a photo of Nick pointing to a letterboard held by Nikki, his communication partner. They are seated at a table in REV's classroom. The words Nick shared in the post are printed on the image in white text with teal accents.]

04/22/2026

"Dear Teachers,

I'm going to ask all teachers to listen more to the words shared by autistic people themselves than by the behavior "experts" in big name hospitals and private schools. As someone who only barely survived these systems, I think my experiences should matter to both teachers and parents. I'm someone who always requires lots of support, but I deserve to decide what that support looks like. Independence is not always the highest good: autonomy always is."

Trevor Byrd
REV Student

[id: a gray background with bold white letters reading "Dear Teachers" above a cutout of Trevor, a young person with short red hair and a red beard. Trevor is wearing red ear defenders and a gray hoodie over a blue shirt. They are holding their letterboard. Trevor's words are printed in white next to them. The words "listen to all voices" and the reach every voice website are at the top of the image]

04/22/2026

The best PD puts you in the room to practice -- with the people who know communication partnership from the inside.

REV's Communication Partner Skill Building Intensive is coming to Gaithersburg, MD this May. 2.5 days. Nonspeaking presenters leading Saturday afternoon. A Sunday session where parents can bring their own child for coaching.

Registration link in the first comment.

04/21/2026

What a difference it makes in our mindset and our teaching when we presume competence in our students and embrace the understanding that what may look like "bad behavior" is quite possibly the response of a brain-body disconnect.

Our student Ethan Statter wrote these words to share about his experience of disconnection and struggle between his brain and body.

Hero or Villain

Oftentimes in life, people experience feeling like a villain and a hero. This is something I feel quite often. I am a villain to myself, when I can’t control my body.

The brain body disconnect I feel is real. It’s hard to describe.

Imagine an angel and a devil. The angel is my brain telling me everything I want and need to do. The devil is my body losing control and taking over.

Imagine what this daily battle feels like, when you know right from wrong.

My brain is the hardest working part of my entire being. I gear up for the war against my body each day, wondering if they will ever agree.

The angel has to win.

I have to love my body but how can I when it’s in a constant battle against me. Who am I? Am I my brain or my body? I’m tired of being torn in two.

I need to give myself grace. The grace to succeed and permission to love myself, even in moments of weakness.

Notes from Ethan: I was inspired to write this poem when my brain and body were not cooperating with one another. The challenges nonspeaking autistic humans face can be tough. At times our bodies don't match our thoughts. Hence the devil and angel comparison. The brain body disconnect is something I write about frequently because it is misunderstood. I know the others in this community can relate. We have to stick together.

[id: a photograph of Ethan sitting with his arms and legs crossed, chin resting on his hands. He is gazing toward the ground. Some words from Ethan's portion of the caption are printed on the photo in white text with teal accents.]