• Communication skills are behaviors that let us exchange messages effectively with another individual.

• Direct Communication is a free-flowing verbal exchange of feelings, thoughts and ideas and is characterized by active listening and effective feedback (Mann & McKeithan, 2024).

• Indirect communication is a transmission of messages or intent without using explicit verbal language. This includes both voluntary nonverbal behavior such as body language, gestures, facial reactions and tone of voice as well as involuntary behaviors like sweating (Mann & McKeithan, 2024). 

Due to the difficulty autistics experience with speech and pragmatics, they may often communicate their needs via non-verbal behaviors. Such communication is called behavioral communication. Some of these behaviors such as aggression, self-injury and tantrums may be undesirable, and individuals who engage in them as a method of communication may benefit from learning alternate behaviors that serve the same function of communication.

Functional communication training (FCT) is an evidence-based practice that involves identifying the communication function of a problem behavior and teaching and reinforcing the performance of an alternate behavior that is functionally equivalent for the learner (Mann & McKeithan, 2024).