Literacy for Autistic Children and the Autism Library

The South Miami Key Club Autism Library Project was developed in response to the need for supplemental learning materials in Autistic classrooms.

While students with autism may undoubtedly benefit from verbal instruction, some also require an additional avenue of input as they learn. Teachers can provide this input by using a range of visuals as they lecture, conduct discussions, and explain daily lessons.

As Donna Williams, a woman with autism, relates, "I could read a story without difficulty, it was always the pictures from which I understood the content".

With this in mind, our goal is to help out the classroom teachers by providing them with a large volume of pictures of common objects that can be associated with everyday objects and concepts.

Through the library project, and the funds raised at events such as the Family Fun Fair and others, we hope to be able to help supply Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices, Picture Communication Books, Visual Aid Displays, Picture Choice Boards, and other Literacy Learning Aids for the autistic students in Miami Dade Public Schools