| Sandy, a nonverbal student with autism, displayed | | | | messages were often spiritual. It was difficult to |
| significant sensory, movement, and auditory processing | | | | determine where the information was coming from. |
| problems. Expecting competence and talking to him at | | | | Individuals I have used FC with or supported by holding |
| a soul level seemed to have a profound effect. In | | | | the keyboard as thy hit the keys independently seem |
| contrast, he continued to demonstrate difficulty | | | | to share my vocabulary and knowledge base, but not |
| following basic concrete verbal directives. He remained | | | | my writing style. |
| dependent on visual cues such as pictures, signs, and | | | | One morning, I was astonished during the morning talk; I |
| or gestures. | | | | asked Sandy what day it was as I held out a |
| Early on, Sandy pulled my hand to point to simple | | | | keyboard. I expected him to type "Friday". Instead, he |
| choices in his communication book. He could not make | | | | typed Frank Logan, the name of a deceased parent |
| these selections on his own. When Sandy began | | | | of a former student of mine. The student had been in |
| working from a field of choices, initially, he would hold | | | | my class eight years prior in a different state. (His |
| my hand and take me to the correct response. One | | | | father had died suddenly. His son was a student in my |
| day, instead of holding my right hand with his right hand | | | | classroom at the time and his mother had requested |
| and using me as a tool to aid his selection, he grabbed | | | | that I try to explain it to him.) After Sandy typed the |
| my right hand with his left hand, as he made selections, | | | | letters "f r a n", of the name, admittedly this man's |
| unaided with his right hand. He still needed physical | | | | name popped into my head as Sandy continued to |
| contact with me, but he did not need me to hold the | | | | type "Frank Logan". Sandy typed a message about his |
| hand he was selecting the correct answers with | | | | son. |
| anymore. Eventually, he let go of the left hand too. If he | | | | Stunned, I asked another nonverbal student who was |
| was sitting in close proximity, he could accurately | | | | sitting next to Sandy if he could explain what had just |
| select appropriate word cards by name, by function, | | | | occurred. I held the keyboard as he typed, "Sandy is a |
| and as a response to questions asked. Often he | | | | catalyst for dead people." I then asked, "How about |
| would give me the correct response before I had time | | | | you?" He replied, "No, that is Sandy's thing." I then held |
| to finish asking the question. | | | | the keyboard in front of Sandy. Remembering, that on |
| His answers were accurate and instantaneous when | | | | several prior occasions, he had typed "Jesus", I |
| selecting responses in words. He was less accurate if | | | | muttered, " You don't channel Jesus, do you? As close |
| the response was in picture format. The most errors | | | | as I can remember, he typed, " No, Jesus great friend, I |
| were made when he was expected to choose | | | | can step aside and let the great heart of Jesus speak |
| three-dimensional objects. Did it occur because words | | | | through me just as you can step aside and let me |
| are constant, but pictures are more varied, and | | | | speak through you. It is just a matter of stepping down |
| three-dimensional objects differ even more? Is it | | | | of vibration." |
| possible that sending the image of a three-dimensional | | | | Since Sandy, like many others had repeatedly proven |
| object is perceived differently between sender and | | | | that he was sensitive to my mental prompts, I once |
| receiver? (E.g. Like many others, if I were seated and | | | | again was unable to determinable as to what was |
| asked him to give me the word "ruler," he would be | | | | coming from him, what was coming from me, what |
| fast and accurate. But if I asked him to hand me a | | | | might have come from joining our subconscious minds, |
| picture of a ruler, his accuracy, although still good, was | | | | what might be coming from Spirit/higher levels of |
| somewhat diminished. If I asked for the actual ruler, he | | | | consciousness/the universal cognitive field. |
| would have the most difficult time. To further | | | | Nonetheless, I am humbled and impressed with anyone |
| complicate issues, if I asked him to get up to get a ruler | | | | of the possibilities. |
| on my desk a few feet away, as soon as he stood | | | | Lessons learned from Sandy:o Many children may use |
| up, he would be lost-unless I showed him a picture of | | | | your hand as a tool for selection.o Many children need |
| the ruler or gave it to him as he was walking there.) | | | | physical contact or close proximity with the agent |
| When gross motor movements were involved, all | | | | facilitator in order to communicate.o Some children |
| circuits seemed to shut down. | | | | need visual prompts when a child has to move even if |
| Sandy learned to use PECS (Picture Exchange | | | | he seems to understand you while seated, yet he is |
| System) and voice output communication devices | | | | lost while moving. |
| independently during snack time. Also, he was fluent | | | | Suppositions:o Some students may be gleaning |
| when making basic requests based on routines, | | | | information from the memory banks of others. |
| nonetheless, responding to questions demanded | | | | Examine possibilities of the effect that your |
| "agent" proximity. In addition, he could not write or draw | | | | anticipatory responses may have.o Some messages |
| on his own, however, he could move my hand to do | | | | may be coming from the subconscious, spirit world, or |
| so if I held the writing utensil. | | | | a universal cognitive field.o Saying all information is |
| As Sandy's motor skills improved, he could type letter | | | | "definitely" coming from the person who types without |
| for letter and word for word what I was consciously | | | | any outside influence is not true in my experience. I |
| "sending" him if I held the keyboard. When we "joined" | | | | cannot speak for others. |
| in what I refer to as "conscious surrender". Sandy's | | | | |