Section 2: Language Access at Home

Language is needed for the Software. Visual is the System.

Your child’s operating system is autistic. That means:

• Their processing is unique.

• Their sensory input is custom-wired.

• Their ability to interpret, predict, and respond depends on a visual language environment they can actually access.

For Deaf+ children, sign language isn’t optional. It’s the only way to install functional language on the OS.

Why “Exposure” Isn’t Enough

• Watching someone sign once doesn’t build language.

• Sitting in a mainstream classroom with an interpreter isn’t the same as direct access.

• Using AAC alone doesn’t give a child the tools to understand conceptual communication.

What’s needed is immersion.

You can’t install software by glancing at the manual. You install it by running it, daily, with someone who knows the language fluently.

Why Repetition Matters

Autistic children with language deprivation don’t start with a full processing buffer. You may need to:

• Sign the same word 10–15 times

• Hold each sign for 2–3 seconds

• Repeat short phrases using exact same signs

• Point to objects while signing

• Wait for visual confirmation (eye contact, glance, imitation)

You are not overdoing it. You are helping the system process one byte at a time.

How to Scaffold Sign Language Use at Home

Start with:

• Core Needs Signs: EAT, DRINK, HELP, STOP, MORE, ALL DONE

• Feelings: MAD, SAD, SICK, HURT, TIRED, HAPPY

• Routines: BATH, POTTY, DRESS, SLEEP, SCHOOL, HOME

• People: MOM, DAD, BROTHER, TEACHER, DOCTOR

Use:

• Visual labels on objects (with ASL handshapes + English word)

• Handshape posters in their calm space

• First/Then boards with icons and signs

• Daily signs of the day with siblings and caregivers

• Mirror time to model signs slowly and watch together

You Don’t Have to Be Fluent — But You Must Be Present

Your signing doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be visible, predictable, and paired with meaning.

Sign what you say. Say what you sign. Do it every day. Let them see your hands talk.

What If I Don’t Know Sign Language Yet?

You're not late. You’re starting now. Here’s how:

Resource	What It Offers
LanguageFirst.org	Research-backed philosophy for Deaf+ language access
Gallaudet University	National Deaf education leader with family tools
ASL Connect	Free online ASL lessons from Gallaudet
Local Libraries & Disability Centers	Often host ASL family classes or Deaf mentors
Contact Us	We’ll help you find classes, videos, and mentors in your area

Ask your child’s school team to provide:

• Visual sign language supports

• Family sign training hours

• Interpreter services for meetings

Under federal law, they must provide accessible communication to you and your child.

Signs Are Not a Substitute for Relationships — They Build Them

Language isn’t just about asking for crackers or saying “No.” It’s how your child will eventually:

• Tell you they’re in pain

• Ask if you’re coming back

• Say they’re scared

• Share what happened at school

• Say “I love you” with their hands

And every single sign you teach, model, or reinforce moves them closer to that.

No sign is wasted. No attempt is too small. No day is too late to start.