Abstract
The past decade has seen a significant in- crease in the clinical and educational use of manual signs, gestures, and mime with autis- tic, retarded, aphasic, and other individuals with severe communication disorders. Such unaided systems1 have been found to be effective as a temporary means of communi- cation until such time as vocal communication can be established as the principal means of communication for individuals who are unable to produce spoken communication, and in some cases as a facilitator of the de- velopment of spoken communication. A review of the literature shows an in- creasing number of journal articles, chapters, and books on this topic. Presentations at the annual conventions of the American Association on Mental Deficiency (AAMD), Ameri- can Psychological Association (APA), Ameri- can Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA), and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) also reflect increased professional in- terest in nonspeech communication.
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