The Effectiveness of Speech Therapy for Students Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Taylor Perkins

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by brain differences. Students with autism may experience communication challenges. The challenges could consist of delays in speech, language, gestures, vocabulary, sentences, meanings, and phonetics, and ach of these skills is essential for students to communicate properly. Speech therapy has played a primary role in the development and maintenance of communication skills for students. Even though there is no cure for autism, speech therapy is given vital skills and practices that could influence communication among students with autism spectrum disorder. This project surveys published literature on autism spectrum disorder and speech therapy using the EBSCO databases available through Lander University’s Jackson Library. This research shows the effectiveness of speech therapy for students with autism spectrum disorder, including the importance of creative interventions to enhance students’ communication deficits. It is essential to provide speech-therapeutic care through schools or private practices in order to help students with autism enhance their communication expertise.

• Taylor Perkins is a graduating senior interdisciplinary studies major. She plans to attend graduate school and work in the field of special education.