The Joint Position Statement on Methods of Expressive Communication Requiring a Trained Facilitator is issued by the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria; Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, University of Pretoria; the Division of Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy, Stellenbosch University; and The Baby Therapy Centre, Pretoria; and is endorsed by the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University and the Discipline of Speech Language Therapy, University of KwaZulu Natal.
The statement cautions the use of expressive communication methods requiring a trained facilitator, including Facilitated Communication (FC), the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM), and Spelling to Communicate (S2C). It encourages researchers to pursue rigorously designed studies, with ethical oversight, to examine any future claims of efficacy. The authors welcome open discussion on the matter. Please feel free to contact us via Prof Renata Eccles, renata.mosca@up.ac.za.