Answers to the questions parents ask most about Silence to Signals™, the parent course built on the Silence to Signals™ Communication Framework by Dr. Catherine C. Acotto, PhD, CCC-SLP. Every term is defined in the Signal Lexicon.

What does Silence to Signals teach parents to do?

It teaches parents of non-speaking and minimally speaking autistic children to recognize and respond to the communication their child is already sending through gesture, movement, sound, symbol and AAC, using the Silence to Signals™ Communication Framework and its six-stage SIGNAL Path*, which a family runs at home.

* SIGNAL Path: the six-stage sequence at the center of the Silence to Signals™ Communication Framework: S: See the Child, I: Interpret the Behavior, G: Get in Sync, N: Normalize Symbols, A: Anticipate Breakdowns, and L: Layer Communication.

Who is the Silence to Signals course for?

Parents and caregivers of non-speaking and minimally speaking autistic children. No clinical background is assumed, and the lessons are written to be run at home.

What is the SIGNAL Path?

The SIGNAL Path is the six-stage sequence at the center of the Silence to Signals™ Communication Framework: S: See the Child, I: Interpret the Behavior, G: Get in Sync, N: Normalize Symbols, A: Anticipate Breakdowns, and L: Layer Communication.

Where does the Silence to Signals Communication Framework start?

With you. Before anything else, a parent regulates themselves: five breaths, lowered shoulders, slower movement, because a child's nervous system reads the adult's nervous system and registers steadiness before anything is said. A regulated adult nervous system is the most powerful regulation tool a child has access to. From there, the six-stage SIGNAL Path begins with See the Child and moves through Interpret the Behavior, Get in Sync, Normalize Symbols, Anticipate Breakdowns and Layer Communication.

What are the Eight Signal Functions?

The Eight Signal Functions™ are the purposes a child's signals serve: Request ("I want or need something"), Protest ("I do not want this / stop"), Comment ("I notice this / look at this"), Greet ("I see you / I acknowledge you"), Seek ("I have a question / I need information"), Share ("I want you to experience this with me"), Regulate ("I need help managing this moment") and Refuse ("This is not available for me right now").

Will my child ever talk?

Nobody can answer that. The Silence to Signals program moves beyond speech as the only measure of communication, teaching parents to see and answer what their child is communicating today in whatever form it arrives, and to build connection, autonomy and meaningful participation. Families often find that once communication works reliably in any form, pressure comes down and the days get easier.

What is the difference between nonverbal and nonspeaking?

Nonverbal implies the person has nothing to say. Non-speaking says only that speech is not the channel they are using, which is more accurate and more useful because it points toward the channels they are using. The accepted language has moved from nonverbal to non-speaking over the years.

What is AAC, and will using it stop my child from speaking?

AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication: sign, picture systems, symbol boards, and speech-generating devices and apps. Reviews indicate that AAC does not hinder speech and may support speech production for some children (Schlosser and Wendt, 2008). Module 4 of the course, Normalize Symbols*, covers introducing AAC and symbols without fear.

* Normalize Symbols: the N stage of the SIGNAL Path, the six-stage sequence at the center of the Silence to Signals™ Communication Framework.

Is PECS enough on its own?

The Picture Exchange Communication System is one option on a continuum and is a strong starting point for many children. The course adds the judgment around it: which symbols to introduce first, which communicative functions to prioritize, when a breakdown reflects lack of access rather than overload, and how pre-symbolic signals should shape what a parent models next.

My child melts down at every transition. Where do I start?

Start with Get in Sync*: regulate yourself first, with five breaths, lowered shoulders and slower movement, before responding. Module 5, Anticipate Breakdowns**, teaches reading the early part of an escalation rather than only the loudest part, and preparing the routines where communication reliably collapses.

* Get in Sync: the G stage of the SIGNAL Path. Its Synchrony Protocol Loop is the sequence a parent repeats with their child: Observe their rhythm, Join (mirror their pace), Narrate, Expand (add a symbol), then hold a Signal Pause™ and wait.

** Anticipate Breakdowns: the A stage of the SIGNAL Path, the six-stage sequence at the center of the Silence to Signals™ Communication Framework.

My child repeats phrases from videos. Is echolalia communication?

Often yes. Echolalia is addressed in Module 6, Language Layering. Repeated phrases frequently carry a function, such as a request, a comment or a way to hold a moment together, and the work is learning to read which. The course teaches treating it as data rather than as something to correct.

Do I need a diagnosis, an IEP, or early intervention in place first?

No. The course is written for parents, assumes no professional background, and does not require a particular service, school placement or plan to be in place.

How is this different from what our speech-language pathologist already does?

It is not a replacement. DIR/Floortime, SCERTS, TEACCH, AAC and ABA all require adults to decide what a child's behavior means before choosing a response, and that interpretive step is usually left to intuition. The Silence to Signals™ Communication Framework* makes that step explicit and teachable, working alongside existing approaches rather than competing with them.

* The Silence to Signals™ Communication Framework: a structured communication interpretation system for parents of non-speaking and minimally speaking autistic children, built around the six-stage SIGNAL Path.

Who created the Silence to Signals Communication Framework?

Dr. Catherine C. Acotto, PhD, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist who has practiced full time since September 2000 and has spent more than 50,000 clinical hours entirely with non-speaking and minimally speaking autistic children. She holds three degrees from Arizona State University, including a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction awarded in 2014.

How much time does the course take?

Twenty-four lessons, each short enough to watch in an evening, with a worksheet for each one. The practice is built into routines a family already has, such as mealtimes, transitions and bedtime.

What is included, and is enrollment open?

Six modules, twenty-four lessons, a worksheet for every lesson, the Signal Translator™ AI* available around the clock, and the Signal Community™**. Enrollment is open now, and the course officially launches November 1, 2026. Parents who are not ready yet can take the Signal Fluency Assessment to join the waitlist and hear first.

* Signal Translator™ AI: unlimited access to the AI built on Dr. Acotto's knowledge base, available exclusively to course members.

** Signal Community™: the ongoing ecosystem of caregivers, educators, and practitioners who have committed to Signal Literacy™, supporting each other in the daily practice of signal translation.

Ready to start? See the Silence to Signals™ course, or read the full Signal Lexicon.