Autism Language Program

Television Appearances

Dr. Howard Shane, Director of the Autism Language Program at Boston Children's Hospital, is frequently asked to appear on television and the web as an expert in the fields of autism and communication disorders. During the last decade, a phenomenon known as facilitated communication infiltrated the lives of many parents of children with autism. Shane conducted research to test its validity, and traveled around the country, debunking this controversial form of communication.

More recently, Shane has been interviewed regarding his groundbreaking work helping children with autism and other developmental disorders communicate independently. This work includes Puddingtone Place, a software program developed by Shane, that provides a virtual world for children.

PBS Frontline on facilitated communication

	Frontline: Part 1 Frontline interviews Howard Shane, PhD, as they investigate the theory, practice and controversy of facilitated communication. 4.6MB, 2:03 min QuickTime Player
	Frontline: Part 2 Howard Shane expresses his doubts about facilitated communication, and asks who is authoring the typing. 5.6MB, 2:31 min QuickTime Player
	Frontline: Part 3 Shane introduces his double-blind study to test the validity of facilitated communication. 14.3MB, 6:11 min QuickTime Player
	Frontline: Part 4 Proponents of facilitated communication overlook key elements that do not make any sense. 6.5MB, 2:54 min QuickTime Player
	Frontline: Part 5 Shane brings people back to reality, as former proponents of facilitated communication begin to read the literature and listen objectively to the notion of facilitator influence. 3.7MB, 1:38 min QuickTime Player