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Get Started with S2C

Let me spell it out for you

not being able to speak does not affect your ability to understand and think

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I-ASC Practitioners are global leaders in S2C

Spelling to Communicate is taught by skilled and rigorously trained S2C Practitioners who work with nonspeaking kids and adults. They begin by teaching the purposeful motor skills of pointing accurately at a letterboard. Continued motor practice centers on engaging cognitive lessons, feeding the brain exciting and captivating information. With time and practice, accuracy is developed, and open, fluent communication is achieved. 

Autonomy through spelling to communicate

Once spellers build a solid foundation of motor skill accuracy and communication, they are introduced to new skills like independent keyboarding, handwriting, and reading aloud. Once students have achieved the motor skills for autonomous communication, the focus expands to develop whole-body purposeful movement for daily living and achieving personal goals. Integration of cognitive and motor skills leads to improved physical fitness and emotional regulation.

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an afternoon with nonspeakers
s2c foundations 10 23

find an S2C practitioner

Are you looking for a certified S2C Practitioner in your area? All certified Spelling to Communicate Practitioners offer in-person services. Some offer virtual services to assist families that don’t have a local practitioner. Click the points on the map to the left to find out if there is a practitioner in your area and read about what inspires them to be an S2C™ practitioner. Don’t see a practitioner near you? Contact I-ASC to find a practitioner who can support you virtually or learn about Practitioner training. Fill out the contact form, and we will connect you with the S2C Practitioner in your area that best meets your needs.

S2C Boards & Supplies

Need to order boards, workbooks, or lesson booklets? Visit Growing Kids Therapy, the certified supplier, to find laminates and stencils or purchase a bundle. Now go get your spell on!

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(FO-MO – noun Slang. – the fear of missing out)

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The personal beliefs and opinions of our community members are their own and do not necessarily reflect the position or policies of I-ASC or its employees.

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© 2023 International Association for Spelling as Communication

S2C, Spelling to Communicate, and I-ASC are all trademarks of the International Association for Spelling as Communication

Abby I.

Eden Prarie, Minnesota

“My favorite part about being an S2C practitioner is watching spellers and their caregivers bond over the shared experience of learning to use the boards. It is an honor to be a part of this life-changing experience for spellers and their families.”

Alyssa M.

Ann Arbour, Michigan

“I become an S2C practitioner because, as an SLP, I felt like I wasn’t able to fully help non-speakers find their best mode of communication until I met a speller. I immediately knew I had to completely change what I was doing.”

Amanda H.

Louisville, Kentucky

“What I like best about being a practitioner is that I adore meeting the most fascinating individuals with such brilliant minds and helping them find hope and excitement in something that is life-changing— S2C. Their progress only gets better with time—not worse, which is usually the case for the majority of nonspeakers who’ve never been introduced to S2C.”

Anastasia C.

Wellesley, MA

“I became a practitioner to help one of my students find a communication method that worked for him. It’s changed his life and mine.”

Anastasia C.

Rochester, Minnesota

“One of the most profound successes I’ve witnessed was working with a student who has severe chronic medical issues. He is now able to communicate to caregivers and doctors when he is in discomfort and when he senses a flare-up.”

Andrea D.

Auckland, New Zealand

“I become an S2C practitioner because I wanted to work with nonspeakers, to give them access to their voice and be trained in the best way to do this.”

Angel W.

Toronto Ontario Canada

“I hope that every non-speaker can communicate their long-silenced voice out loud using letter boards. Go show the world who you really are and what each of you is capable of.”

Angela K.

British Columbia, Canada

“The community that is starting to grow in BC and the socials that we have. I love seeing the families come together and enjoy each other’s company and sharing their journey with their speller.”

Anna B.

Tucson, Arizona

“As an S2C practitioner and CRP, I’m passionate about ending communication discrimination and making reliable communication available to all. I value the work that I do and feel honored that I get to experience this journey with so many inspiring people in such an amazing community.”

Anna L.

Kildare, Ireland

“What surprises me most is that they never stop surprising me! Every time I think I’ve seen it all… another magical moment happens, and I am blown away all over again!”

Anne L.

Montclair, New Jersey

“I decided to become an S2C practitioner when my nonspeaking son became a speller after 23 years of silence. I’m passionate about helping nonspeakers access a reliable form of communication.”

Ashley S.

Perry Hall, Maryland

“I have been working with individuals with special needs for over 20 years as a classroom teacher, in-home program developer, and now an S2C practitioner. I earned my bachelor’s from Towson University and my master’s in special education from Johns Hopkins University. I also have an Advanced Professional Certificate, Maryland Teacher Certification Generic Special Education 1-8. I have continued my education by taking many classes on behavior management and applied behavior analysis. I am honored to be able to give unreliable and/or non-speakers an outlet to have a voice through S2C.”

Austin M.

Alpharetta, Georgia

“Seeing a parent – who has lost faith and hope – suddenly have their light bulb moment that their child is there and ever-present is a beautiful thing to witness.”

Becky H.

Dallas, Texas

“Because S2C is still so new, I am often the first person the speller and family have worked with that has ‘presumed competence.’ I am gratified to help families realize that their child was always there and is ready to participate in making choices for their life.”

Becky R.

Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

“I became an S2C practitioner because I learned about how many nonspeakers are living without an effective means of communication and how badly we need a paradigm shift. I met a speller while working as a support person, and it opened my eyes to the world of possibilities for nonspeakers! I want to help bring autonomy to nonspeakers’ lives.”

Beth F.

Newmarket, New Hampshire

“My nephew, who is a nonspeaker, is my inspiration; when his mother shared Underestimated with me, I knew I had to be a part of the S2C community!”

Branndan V.

Gay, Georgia

“I became an S2C practitioner to help bring the nonspeaking population in my community the wonderful resource of S2C!”

Brittany F.

Minnetonka, Minnesota

“I hope to positively impact every client and spread the awareness of the capabilities of nonspeakers .”

Bryana W.

Atlanta, Georgia

“There are so many things that I like best about being a practitioner, seeing clients reach open communication for the first time, being able to coach parents and friends through a sticky point on the boards, getting to know each speller’s goals and aspirations, and be on the team that helps them reach them.”

Bryana W.

Nashville, TN

“I hope that I am there as a boon and a person they know believes in them 100% as they tackle the very hard work they do to be on the letter boards. I also hope they can walk away from sessions knowing I trust them to know themselves and to advocate for what they need-my job will always be to follow their lead.”

Carissa C.

San Diego, California

“I became an S2C practitioner to have more resources and knowledge to support non-speakers. To be a part of the change, this world needs to show how incredible this community is.”

Carissa C.

San Diego, California

“I became an S2C practitioner to have more resources and knowledge to support non-speakers. To be a part of the change, this world needs to show how incredible this community is.”

Carole P.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“As an S2C practitioner, I strive to provide my non-speakers with a variety of lessons that will demonstrate their knowledge, opinions, ideas, and their unique individuality. S2C is a tool for communication that releases them from a world of silence.”

Casey N.

Cuenca, Azuay Ecuador

” I became an S2C practitioner because I saw the injustice that some people are denied access to education and wanted to be part of the change.”

Christie P.

Annandale, Virginia

“Spellers work HARD, and my favorite thing is to see the delight and pride in a client’s demeanor when they experience a win. There is a lot about apraxia and the challenges of purposeful motor that make it difficult for spellers to demonstrate “appropriate” emotions, but when a person’s heart is lit up, there’s no hiding it because it comes from a deeper place than purposeful motor!”

Colleen M.

Tarpon Springs, Florida

“I knew I wanted to become a practitioner when I experienced firsthand that my son, who has a very complex motor system and is a nonspeaker, could actually do this. After years of trying other forms of AAC and not being able to get beyond basic requests (at best), I “heard” his words for the first time and knew that this is what I wanted to do. This is my purpose. If I can help spread the joy and hopefulness I felt and feel every day. I will be fulfilled.”

Crystal D.

Seekonk, Massachusetts

“I became an S2C practitioner because I am a mom of an unreliable speaker and a speller. I want to help our non-speakers, minimally speaking and unreliable speaking clients and their families reach their communication goals and help them advocate for their rights to communication.”

Diana J.

Monroe, Washington

“I became an S2C practitioner because I want to help make communication accessible to everyone.”

Elizabeth V.

Herndon, Virginia

“Watching communication evolve is a true honor and joy as a practitioner!”

Emily P. S.

Springfield, Pennsylvania

“I love the community we have built with our non-speakers and their families to set a true example that having autism does not mean your life can’t be joyful and fulfilling and full of meaningful relationships.”

Gigi N.

Fallbrook, California

“I became an S2C practitioner because once I learned about S2C, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life. It is the most meaningful, exciting, interesting, magical, worthy, and weighty work I’ve ever had the privilege of doing.”

Grace C.

Staten Island, NY

“I love being able to give someone a means of communicating their thoughts and ideas. It’s a joy to watch spellers engage in conversation with their peers. All people have a right to communicate, and how exciting that everyone knows the alphabet. Spellers will have the ability to communicate with anyone and everyone.”

Harriet S.

Boca Raton, FL, USA

“Helping my clients to communicate their wants, needs, desires, and wishes has always been my passion. It is the reason I became a speech-language pathologist. After seeing how S2C allowed my clients to be reliable communicators, thereby changing their lives, I knew I needed to be an S2C practitioner.”

Heather S.

Ocoee, Florida

“I was able to help a client achieve a dream of writing a creative story for Christmas. It was an unbelievable journey and experience.”

Janice O.

Escondido, California

“What I like best about being a practitioner is having the knowledge and potential to be of service in a very underserved and misunderstood community.”

Jen C.

Phoenix, Arizona

“For each and every one of my spellers, I look forward to the day when they can share their thoughts. I look forward to the day when they can communicate their needs, their hopes, and their life goals. As we work toward this end goal, we both enjoy spending time in rich and fulfilling interactions exploring age-appropriate, intellectually stimulating information.”

Jenna M.

Sacramento, California

“I became an S2C practitioner to provide a voice to a population that I haven’t been able to do in the past as an SLP.”

Jenna A.

Phoenix, Arizona

“My favorite thing about being an S2C practitioner is getting the opportunity to be a part of such a special process of a family meeting their speller for the ‘first time.’ The moment when the speller shares information with the family to help them understand who they are, what they really think, and show their true self. It’s such a beautiful process, and it is truly an honor to be allowed to share in that with them.”

Jess S.

Atlanta, Georgia

“Every time I see my clients eager to sit down, work with me, actively listening, and smiling in their own ways… It reassures me that we are making a significant impact on their lives.”

Joey L.

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

“I became a practitioner to help other Autistics like myself.”

Joy S.

New Port Richey, Florida

“I became an S2C practitioner because I was compelled to share the principles and method of communication that brought so much hope to my family.”

Judy C.

Mount Kisco, New York

“The thing that surprised me about working with nonspeakers is how empathetic my students are.”

Julie G.

Poolesville, Maryland

“What I found most surprising about working with nonspeakers is their sense of humor!“

Julie M.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

“I have found that presuming competence in the mind and body is in itself life-changing for nonspeakers and their families.”

Kamalini J.

Dubai – United Arab Emirates

“I was doing a lesson on Helen Keller and there was a question, ‘What was the first word she spelled?’ The student answered, ‘Water’. Then I asked, ‘what was the first word you spelled?’ He answered, ‘KAMALINI’. It brought tears to my eyes.”

Katie W.

Manchester, Maryland

“I hope to impact nonspeakers through my presumption of competence and respect for their individuality. As a social worker, I have made it my life’s work to advocate for those in need. What an amazing tool to be able to help a nonspeaking, minimally speaking, or unreliably speaking person work toward agency and autonomy for themselves.”

Katie T.

Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

“During their time with me, I want my spellers to feel that they are accepted and appreciated and that they never have to prove themselves.”

Kayla C.

Denver, Colorado

“As an OT working in a relationship and sensory-informed model, I believed (and still do) in building trust and having a relationship to support working with individuals. While listening to advocates, I eventually learned more about the motor differences in non-speakers and knew to serve these individuals the best I could, communication and a different approach to purposeful motor couldn’t be ignored. My background and S2C training have given me tools to honor, respect, and presume competence with my neurodivergent clients.”

Kelly B.

Herndon, Virginia

“I truly love working with spellers and supporting them as they work towards fluency and being able to express themselves on the letterboards, as well as getting the chance to work with and learn from parents through GKTC’s Parent Cohort. Helping parents reach fluency on the letterboards with their own children through regular CRP (Communication and Regulation Partner) coaching sessions is such a joy!”

Kelley H.

Knoxville Tennessee

“My favorite thing about being a Spelling to Communicate practitioner is seeing spellers and their families flourish with access to robust communication. It is wonderful to watch a speller become a more active member of their family as they are able to better communicate their thoughts, ideas, and opinions.”

Kelly Lyn W.

Collinsville, Connecticut

“Every single time I work with a client, I am blown away. Many of my current clients are former students of mine who I have known since they were 3. This particular group is now in their early 20s. Watching the pure joy in all of their faces is extremely moving every single time.”

Kinsey S.

Eagle Mountain, Utah

“What I like best about being a practitioner is providing resources to nonspeakers in my state that would otherwise be unavailable or scarce.”

Krystal H.

Barrington, Rhode Island

“I hope to help more families gain access through outreach, continuing to create programs for funding, and by helping bridge the gap between health, regulation, and spelling.”

LeeAnn D.

Cleveland, Ohio

“The very first time one of my spellers had an amazing session, he began crying. I will never forget this day.”

Lili S.

Chimacum, Washington

“I am doing S2C because I believe it is crucial for systems to fit the individual’s needs and for everyone to be considered competent. Everyone deserves the opportunity to share and be seen for who they are, and S2C provides this for nonspeakers.”

Lisa G.

Los Angeles, CA

“My 11-year-old client, who never used to be able to sit still for more than a moment, answered an open-ended question of what he would do if there was a spider in his house with a full sentence “I would take it outside.” When asked how he felt answering the open-ended question on the 26 board in a full sentence, he responded, “I’m smart.”

Lisa B.

Canton, Georgia

“I am always amazed at the patience, and dedication spellers have. Each of my clients has taught me so much. They come in week after week, committed to their goal of communication. They remind me of the value of really listening, of being present and in the moment.”

Lourdes S.

Apex, North Carolina

“I love connecting, embracing, and celebrating progress with families. It is inspiring to see the love and commitment all parents and caregivers have to make sure our spellers are heard and included. It makes me smile when I get a text or video from a parent telling/showing a new accomplishment. There is nothing like this.”

Lyndee S.

Lahaina, Hawaii

“What I like best about being a practitioner is connecting with my spellers.”

Maria C.

Maracay, Aragua, Venezuela

“I hope to impact nonspeakers by opening ways for them to communicate effectively on their letterboards, showing everyone his/her beautiful soul and personality hidden for years behind a body that they couldn’t or still cannot control before S2C.”

Marjorie H.

Southborough, Massachusetts

“What most surprised me about working with nonspeakers is learning how much dyspraxia affects everything we do, which was eye-opening and sobering.”

Marquerette M.

Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

“What I like best about being a practitioner is making a difference in my speller’s lives by giving them a voice and presuming competence in all aspects of their lives.”

Meg P.

Bellingham, Washington
“I have been a practitioner for many years (almost a decade!), and while things have evolved since I started, I’ll never forget the first time I got an open response from my first client at GKTC. It was short, maybe 2-3 words, but we did it! And then had a celebratory dance party after that. This client became one of my dearest friends over the years – and it’s his smiling face after that response that will continue to inspire me for many moons to come.”

Megan S.

Western Cape, South Africa

“I hope to provide a strong, encouraging, regulating impact (hoping that nonspeakers have confidence that I firmly believe in them, respect them, and understand that they don’t always have control of their bodies) where the nonspeaker has a way of getting their voice heard, and that they don’t have to be silent forever.”

Meredyth K.

Dayton, Nevada

“It’s a tossup between phenomenal memories and the poetry in their words. Whoever thinks nonspeaking folks with autism don’t have empathy are so so wrong. I have witnessed the complete opposite.”

Melinda G.

Sydney NSW, Australia

“I love all of it: the everyday bits — interesting lessons, the motor coaching, seeing the incremental progress; and the special moments: when the penny drops for the non-speaker that the method seems likely to deliver them on the path of real communication, and of course, when the parents hear the thoughts and ideas of their loved one for the first time.”

Michaela G.

Norfolk, Virginia

“As a Speech-Language Pathologist, it is my mission to provide accessible communication to all of those that I encounter. S2C is the single most powerful method of communication for nonspeaking, minimally speaking, and unreliable speaking individuals. I will continue to advocate for current spellers and fight for access for future spellers. The S2C community is far and wide. I’m excited to be a part of something so powerful and life-changing!”

Michelle U.

Mount Airy, Maryland

“I hope to impact nonspeakers by continuing to help them use their voice and to give non-speakers an opportunity to have s2c in their lives.”

Michelle H.

San Diego, California

“I have worked with some pretty complicated bodies, and I have been so excited to see one of my adult clients (48yrs old) be able to organize her motor output to independently move to the letters and build the regulation needed to grow her skills in this way! It is powerful to see self-confidence and motor control build through S2C.”

Michelle L.

Pittsburg, Pennsylvania

“I always recognized communication in every individual, but there is a special empathy, an emotional intelligence that is a common thread is so many spellers; a lovely sense of care and concern for others. What a delightful surprise to experience.”

Mimi T.

Downingtown PA

“The brain-body disconnection that is apraxia and how it impacts our spellers was the most surprising thing to me.”

Missy F.

Scottsdale, Arizona

“I have been working with individuals with disabilities for 30 years. I have always believed that the individuals I taught were able to do more and understand more than the world tended to give them credit for. Fifteen years ago, the words and philosophy of “Presuming Competence” were spoken to me, and it finally gave my thoughts and beliefs a name and validation. Since that time, I have worked with and researched those with the same beliefs. When I read about S2C, I knew it was the tool that I was missing to help my students unlock their potential. I knew I needed to become a practitioner.”

Moira S.

São Paulo, Brazil

“A mother who cried when her daughter spelled “thank you, mom”

Monica V.S.

Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

“Relationships with spellers; presumption of competence and its power.”

Nancy N.

Springboro, Ohio

“Their intelligence knows no bounds. It’s one thing to ‘presume competence,’ but when you really get to know a speller it is so much more profound than just knowing they are able to learn and understand. There is no boundary!”

Nicole J.

Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii

“Restoring hope to those who have lost it, allowing my clients to have a reliable, robust way to communicate for the very first time, giving parents a new lens through which they see their child/loved ones, and giving them the opportunity to truly know and understand who they are.”

Rachael E.

Donvale, Melbourne, Australia

“I started working with an 8-year-old student recently. He came inside extremely dysregulated, and he did not want me to come near him. When I came near him, he screamed a lot and would not stay in the room. By session 3, I witnessed a big transformation and could see in his eyes he “got it”, ie. it seemed he understood I could help him. He came up and gave me a big hug, and stayed in the room and was spelling on the boards.”

Renee C.

Las Vegas, Nevada

“I have worked with and specialized in the field of Autism as a Speech Language Pathologist for 18 years. This has opened my eyes to what I always considered the missing puzzle piece with the students I work with. I am so excited to be a part of this movement and truly make the change that is needed for our nonspeaking, minimal speaking, and unreliable speaking clients and their families.”

Renee D.

Kaneohe, Hawaii

“Aloha from the island of O’ahu. I have been an elementary school teacher for several decades, and love working with kids (and adults as well). I have experience teaching students with a variety of needs and even taught for four years in a psychiatric outpatient day treatment program. When I read, the book Underestimated, I knew right away that I wanted to become an S2C practitioner because I love nothing more than to use something that works. The progress I see in my spellers is the highlight of my week!”

Samantha F.

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio

“Being an S2C practitioner is the world’s most rewarding job, as it helps to give a voice to someone who has known a life without one. I love continuously learning from nonspeaking individuals.”

Sara P.

Mound, Minnesota

“I love the look on my client’s faces when they know they are controlling their body in a purposeful way. I love seeing the hope in them that one day this will work enough to tell me that themselves.”

Sarah W.

Portland, Oregon

“I hope to impact nonspeakers by doing whatever I can to support them so they can communicate openly. Also, educating the public that nonspeaking does not mean nonthinking and the Presumption of Competence is vital.”

Shelley C.

Decatur, Georgia

“What most surprised me about working with nonspeakers is their unwavering determination to help others like themselves.”

Simone M.

St Eugene, Ontario, Canada

“Getting to know a client that I used to work with in school years ago in a new real way and being able to work with him again with S2C really impacted me since I became a practitioner. He is now open on the boards, and we can have a conversation.”

Staci W.

Chandler, Arizona

“I love helping my spellers gain their human right to a reliable method of communication. I enjoy supporting the whole individual meaning their unique sensory-motor profiles and being an ally to the non-speaking community. Anytime you witness a paradigm shift for a family to start presuming competence in their loved one, it is a wonderful and impactful thing!”

Stephanie B.

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

“I hope to give nonspeakers the ability to have an outlet for expression that will change their lives for the better. And give hope for a better future.”

Susanne C.

Bangor, Pennsylvania

“I became an S2C practitioner to build community and support communication rights.”

Tara H.

Lisbon, Connecticut

“As a Family Nurse Practitioner, I knew S2C was an essential tool to unlocking communication for nonspeakers. Becoming an S2C practitioner was essential for my clinical toolbox. I enjoy coaching nonspeakers to be able to advocate for themselves by using S2C and teaching parents, caregivers, and other professionals how to support nonspeakers by using S2C.”

Taylor J.

Lincolnshire, Illinois

“I decided to become an S2C practitioner because, working in the field of speech-language pathology, I never felt right about any of the AAC methods I was seeing and using. Very few of them ever resulted in meaningful communication beyond requests. After working with a speller, I knew that S2C is different and that it needed to be used widely.”

Tom F.

Springfield, Pennsylvania

“I just hope I can play a part in helping a speller become a participant in life.”

Torrie M.

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

“I like providing hope to families who have otherwise given up.”

Tracey G.

Seattle, Washington

“I’m a parent of a speller, so my primary motivation for becoming an S2C practitioner was growing my daughter’s community. She loves her friends and being with other nonspeakers.”

Tracy G.

Gauteng, South Africa

“I became an S2C practitioner to provide communication to nonspeakers, minimal speakers, and unreliable speakers. To provide real answers and solutions to these individuals and their families. Every individual deserves a voice, an education, love, support, and acceptance.”

Tracy L.

Orlando, Florida

“I ran into an unreliable speaker and his Mom in Target. We knew each other but only a little. The Mom and I had a brief conversation about S2C and if she thought her son should try it now. I am working with her son and am so hopeful for him and their family to benefit from his communication. I think we were meant to run into each other at Target! I am so grateful to be an S2C practitioner so I can help nonspeakers communicate.”

Veronica M.

Khomas region, Namibia

“I want to help foster autonomy for nonspeakers, especially in education.”

Vicky O.

Gauteng, South Africa

“One of my first spellers was at a special needs school when I first started spelling with her. We quickly realized that she was so much smarter, and so she was soon placed into a school that would benefit her better. She now gets some of the highest grades in her school and writes poetry. However, for me, the most impactful part of her story is that she and her sister finally have a relationship with each other.”

Wendy P.

Beloit, Wisconsin

“What I like best about being a practitioner is supporting growth and confidence in communicating with their circle of friends.”

Whitney S.

Atlanta, Georgia

“What surprised me about working with nonspeakers is the rich and beautiful ways in which these children process and make sense of their worlds. It almost feels poetic.”

Yalda H.

New York, New York

“Presuming competence has always been the center of my teaching in the classroom. From the start of my work with non-speaking autistic students as a special education teacher, I knew that the widely used medical-based model of teaching was harmful and pathologizing. That is when I learned about Spelling to Communicate and became an S2C practitioner. The best part of being a communication partner is to learn from my students.”

Zaynah R.

Holiday, Florida

“Since becoming a practitioner, I have trained a parent on the boards with their son. I was given the gift of seeing their bond strengthing and the parent’s understanding of their son fall into place with who their son truly is.”

Rachida A.

Ontario, Canada

“My nonspeaking daughter’s journey inspired me to support other nonspeakers.”

Taler W.

Alberta, Canada

“I had the pleasure of assisting a speller with some self-advocacy and was awed by their kindness and grace towards people who were mistreating them. They lead with compassion and understanding and then asked for the same in return. It was a beautiful interaction.”

Cynthia S.

Moscow, Indiana

“One of my students is unreliably speaking. When I began training, I had no idea that S2C would be valuable for her – I thought it was only for nonspeaking individuals. Watching her progress and display an intellect many years beyond what any of us at the school previously knew about has been truly incredible. I am so blessed to have these tools ready to use with these amazing kids!”

Jonica C.

New Port Richey, Florida

“My son actually suggested I become an S2C Practitioner while we were starting out with S2C. I was completely inspired by Mac and his friends. I retired from a 25-year career in Hospital Administration and became a practitioner to support the non-speaking community.”

Yoelandie S.

Geuteng, Pretoria, South Africa

“What I like best about being a practitioner is the relationship/bond that forms between the practitioner and the speller. Being able to be the vessel enabling more non-speakers to “speak out.”

Michelle L.

Puyallup, Wisconsin

“I am in awe of the endurance of the human condition and nonspeakers’ abilities to continue to persevere despite the daily obstacles their bodies present.”

Christina S.

King of Prussia, Pennslyvania 

“My experience at the internship had a lasting impact. I found it incredibly inspiring to see how people were using their voices and how spelling has opened amazing new doors for them.”

Laura N.

Reston, Virginia

“I became a practitioner after my nephew (17 at the time) began spelling. S2C changed our lives; my nephew is now able to communicate his thoughts! As a special education teacher with 16 years of experience, I needed to learn this method. S2C changed the way I teach…I now presume competence in all my students.”

Deborah S.

Woodland Hills, CA

“Working with nonspeakers never gets old!”

Joey O.

St. Petersburg, Florida

“I’ve been working with a 43-year-old for 2 years. She is just now starting to provide open responses. Her family can’t believe how smart she is. She’s been my most challenging client, and to have succeeded after so much work is amazing.”

Patricia W.

Montreal, Canada

“What I like most about being a practitioner is the joy and relief I get to witness on the faces of the parents as they get to see their children spell for the first time.”

Micka S.

Newbury Park, California

“After spending years in education working with non and minimally speaking students, I learned about S2C and how apraxia was affecting their ability to motor plan in order to effectively communicate. I am so grateful that I am able to teach non-speakers a consistent and reliable form of communication so they are able to advocate for themselves.”

Sherri T.

Windsor, Canada

“In working with one particular client, his mother mentioned that he was going to go to “therapy” the next day. As he sees a number of clinicians, his mother did not tell him which therapy she was referring to. He walked over to her, took her phone, found a picture of him spelling with me, and showed it to his mom. It was the first time he had communicated with his mother in this way. Needless to say, both mom and I shed a few happy tears.”

Trinidad J.

Santiago, Chili 

“A recurrent story always impacts me is when I work with a speller for the first time. Seeing the speller’s parents start viewing their child As competent is priceless. And the speller’s smile and satisfaction are one of the most impacting moments in my life. I can only compare it to my doula days when I accompanied mothers giving birth. It’s like they see their child for the first time again. No matter how old the speller is, there is a rebirth.”

Stefanie L.

Gauteng, South Africa

“What I like best about being a practitioner is helping families to presume competence in their children and to show them how unique and smart they are.”

Trinidad J.

Atlanta, Georgia

“How wrong we are about nonspeakers as a society. How much do neurotypicals assume that there is a norm? This contrast with the open, loving, and forgiving heart of the neurodivergent nonspeaker population. “

Katlyn B.

Herndon, Virginia

“In addition to being an S2C Practitioner, I am a COTA and mentor for I-ASC. I love working alongside nonspeakers in reaching their communication goals, other purposeful motor goals, and breaking undesired motor loops. “