Hi-I am new to the message board (excuse the typos!) and have a question for either professioanls and/or parents. I have a client that I see who has autism (he's in high school). He is nonverbal although can imitate some sounds and come close to imitating words. Any verbal response is in imitation. Past therapies in the school have focused on oral motor and more traditional speech therapy to get student to talk but not necessarily communicate. He can read but doesn't understand what he reads. Parents are opposed to using pictures/icons to teach him to communicate. They want verbal communication. Visual schedules are "okay" yet the school hasn't been implementing them on a consistent basis. SO... what is the experience out there for using pictures or icon systems to aid communication? An outside agency came in and did an eval for augmentative communication. They feel that right now he is not a candidate for AAC in terms of a device that provides voice output, but that communication boards with both pictures and print is the way to proceed. My training with kids with autism always focused on visuals and pictures (eg PECS). I am interested in other's success stories (or non-success stories) using visuals. I am also open to any suggestions and advice on how to get the parents to come on over, without being too disrespectful of the school.