I felt like a puppet controlled by strings: A nonspeakers view of inclusive education reform.

The following is my view for the SA Roadmap to Inclusive Education. I prepared the following answers for a focus group run by Children and Young People with Disability Australia on Tuesday 26th August 2025

Spelled by: Patrick Saunders

CONTENT WARNING: Deep feelings expressed

Q1. What helped you feel good when you attended school and confident in your learning?

Having access to communication at school would have helped me learn and socialise with teachers

and students. When I went to school, teachers wouldn't let me use a letterboard to communicate.

I require a specialised program and a communication and regulation partner and presumption of

competence to learn. I need supported help and an understanding of purposeful motor planning and how to coach the body in individual movements for every body part and activity, until I can do it

automatically. 

School was horrible for me because teachers thought I could not understand anything, and they

treated me like I didn't matter and planned classes around the other students. Every day was like a

nightmare, and I hated school and wanted to end my life. I am now happy as I ask questions, answer questions and have my needs and wants met most of the time.

Spelling to communicate on a letterboard has unbelievably turned my life around and given me

opportunities. 

People at school underestimated my potential and my parents pulled me out of school and created

an environment that met my learning needs and supported purposeful motor planning to learn to

spell. My education skyrocketed as I learned age-appropriate curriculum and not babyish content

like I was taught while at ................................... School.

My education made me feel lonely and suicidal. I have a lot of trauma because of teachers and students mistreating and bullying me. I have been called names and asked if I was retarded by students and teachers.

My time at school is a part of my life I am now able to reflect on to help other autistic non speakers

who also have motor planning differences. I can use my story of misery and success to help others.

When did human rights automatically erode because someone is nonspeaking? Do we not matter?

I want you to know that we matter.

I want you to know that we are smart.

I want you to know that we are able.

I want you to know that we are empathetic.

I want you to know that we capable and

know that we make great friends. 

I want the world to know that nonspeaking autistic people can and will learn if you listen to people

who spell to communicate. Teachers have got it wrong for so long not because they can't learn and

try hard but because they have listened to people and researchers who presumed incompetence and read the incorrect information that related to speaking autistics and applied it to nonspeakers. It was only going to help a few of us and provide minimal support.

If you want to support me to thrive, ask me what I need, don't assume anything and definitely don’t

group non speakers as one with a one size fits all type of approach. We are all different. I need a

CRP (Communication and Regulation Partner), headphones and prefer to know in advance what is about to occur. I like to move to regulate. At school I was not provided with enough exercise to bring my body into the ventral vagus nervous system. At homeschool I exercise for several hours a day.

My parents have never given up on me.

Autistic non speakers are humans and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and provided

with opportunities like everyone else. 

Are there any things that make it harder for you to feel included or do your best when you attended school?

To make school better I would require spelling to communicate to be taught in schools. I prefer a

communication and regulation partner rather than a teacher.

Some Autistic nonspeakers require a person to be with them at all times to understand their abilities so that they can achieve.

People need to be kind and caring and expect high results from autistic nonspeakers.

Teach us using the coach the motor formula - An action plus a body part. For example, Move your

arm, shift your eyes, grip with your hand.

Q3. When you were at school, what made it easier or harder for you to ask for help?

I could never ask for help at school. I could not raise my arm to ask questions because I have a

developmental coordination disorder, and no one had coached my body to lift my arm and to

communicate using my finger to point at letters.

They kept ignoring me and when they did interact, they used hand over hand and did not coach my

body. I sat there and felt like a puppet controlled by strings. I am smart and having to sit and be

spoken to like a 5-year-old was demoralising and degrading. Teachers must talk to autistic

nonspeakers like we understand everything. Why do teachers talk slowly, loud and treat us like we

have not understood anything? I am able and I can hear.

Q4. How do you feel about setting goals at school?

When I went to school, teachers set goals for me. I prefer to be involved in the goal setting process. I can set goals for myself now. I would like to get better at typing and use a keyboard more often. I can use a keyboard, but it is difficult for me. Teachers could start by providing me with

accommodations and access to age based appropriate curriculum and lessons. I prefer content that

allows me to interact and participate where I can move my body and answer questions.

At home I hike, swim, and spell every day. At school I didn’t do any of those activities with my

teachers. They went walking around the block and swimming from time to time, but I am capable of

so much more than that. I can hike long distances and swim all day. Teachers need to believe in

nonspeakers ability to achieve amazing goals.

I need help to regulate so teachers need to be aware of techniques to support me. I like to hold

something in my hand all the time because it calms me. Sometimes it becomes distracting and

prevents me from working and doing things. Then I require intervention from someone to remove

the toy and guide my body.

I am a great student when I am accommodated.