Welcome to the Visual Supports Series, where we will be exploring the concept of visual supports and its applications across a variety of settings and purposes. In Parts 2, 3, and 4, we will explore helpful principles for making visual supports, visual supports as a teaching tool, and visual supports as an accessibility tool.

In Part 1, we will go over the basics of visual supports and what they can help us do in the classroom or other settings. 

So let’s jump right in!

If you are interested in a more in-depth course on visual supports, AFIRM offers a helpful multi-part module on the topic. 

They define visual supports as “concrete cues that are paired with, or used in place of, a verbal cue to provide the learner with information about a routine, activity, behavior expectation, or skill demonstration.” 

Put another way, visual supports can enhance verbal communication and, in some cases, replace it.

AFIRM puts most visual supports into three broad categories: boundaries, schedules, and cues. 

Boundaries might include the way a room is arranged or what materials are visually accessible at any given time. It is helpful for showing people how to focus on a particular task as intended. 

Schedules can be tailored to individuals, made for a larger group, and indicate what is happening on a shorter or longer timeline. 

Cues cover a broad range of visual indicators that can help a person understand something’s purpose or your expectations. They can also help an individual communicate their own thoughts in shorthand.

That is just a brief skim of the huge variety of contexts and forms in which visual supports can be deployed! AFIRM goes more in-depth into some of those uses, but how are we supposed to know when a visual support might help?

There are all sorts of reasons why one might consider adding a visual support to verbal communication or even replacing the verbal component altogether. But how do we know when to start thinking about it? 

One helpful starting point is when verbal instructions alone just don’t seem to have the intended effect. Are your students constantly asking questions about something you know you went over? Is your client regularly forgetting your instructions and asking you to repeat yourself? That’s a sign your verbal instructions might not be enough on their own to achieve the outcome you want!

Another helpful indicator is when your current visual support doesn’t seem to be cutting it! Are you getting regular questions about what the visual support is supposed to mean? Are you spending way more time explaining it than you intended to? Maybe you need an additional visual support, or maybe you need to replace it altogether.

Visual supports can function as an accommodation in some cases, but go so far beyond that! Any time you think a visual aid might enhance a verbal instruction, that’s probably a good opportunity for a visual support! It’s also true that some visual supports may be more helpful than others, so stay tuned for Part 2, where we will take a closer look at some helpful design principles for making visual supports.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions regarding visual supports, we would love to hear from you! Just drop us a line at hello@autismgrownup.com.