IEP goals for nonverbal autistic students

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

IEP goals for nonverbal autistic students should build communication through AAC, sign, pictures and any speech the student has, across every part of the day. Target requesting, refusing, commenting, social connection, device skills, language growth and literacy. Example: during snack and play, the student will make a two-symbol request on a speech-generating device without a prompt in 8 of 10 opportunities.

"Nonverbal" usually means the student speaks few or no words. It does not mean the student has nothing to say or understands little. Many students described this way understand far more than they can show, and many autistic adults prefer the words "nonspeaking" or "minimally speaking." Write goals that assume the student is a capable communicator who needs the right tools.

The 24 goals below assume the student has access to AAC, such as a speech-generating device, a picture system or sign. Each has a fictional baseline that shows where the criterion came from. For goals across all autism areas, see the pillar on IEP goals for autism.

Before you write the goals

AAC is never earned. The device stays with the student all day, including during upsets. Removing it to manage behavior removes the student's voice.
Model on the device. Adults point to symbols as they talk, called aided language modeling. Students learn AAC the way children learn speech: by seeing it used around them.
Count every mode. A word, sign, gesture, picture or device message all count. Many students use several.
Separate prompted from spontaneous. A goal should say which. Spontaneous use is the long-term aim.

Federal rules require the IEP team to consider each student's communication needs and whether the student needs assistive technology devices or services.^[1]

How to choose a goal

What you see	Sub-skill	Measure
Gets needs met by leading adults, crying or grabbing	Requesting and refusing	Opportunities: spontaneous requests
Uses AAC only to request	Commenting and social connection	Frequency of non-request messages
Gets lost in the device or it is often not charged	Device skills	Task analysis, latency to find a word
Uses one symbol at a time	Language growth	Mean symbols per message, core word variety
Can show more than current tasks allow	Literacy and academics	Accuracy on device responses
Unfamiliar people do not understand the system	Self-advocacy and community	Opportunities with unfamiliar partners

Requesting and refusing

Goal	Baseline	Measure
During snack and play, the student will make a two-symbol request ("want juice," "more swing") on a speech-generating device without a prompt in 8 of 10 opportunities.	2 of 10	Opportunities
When offered an unwanted item or activity, the student will refuse or request a break on the device or with a sign in 4 of 5 opportunities.	1 of 5	Opportunities
When given 2 to 4 options, the student will make a choice on the device or by pointing within 10 seconds in 8 of 10 opportunities.	4 of 10	Opportunities
During routines, the student will ask a question ("where?", "what's that?") on the device at least 3 times per day for 4 weeks.	0 per day	Frequency

Weak: "The student will say 5 words."

Measurable: "During snack and play, the student will make a two-symbol request on a speech-generating device without a prompt in 8 of 10 opportunities." The weak goal counts only speech and ignores the student's main mode.

Goal	Baseline	Measure
During shared activities, the student will comment ("cool," "uh oh," "I like") on the device at least 4 times per 20-minute activity for 3 weeks.	0 to 1	Frequency
When greeted by peers or adults, the student will return the greeting with the device, a wave or a sign in 8 of 10 opportunities.	3 of 10	Opportunities
During play with peers, the student will comment to a peer on the device at least 2 times per play session on 4 of 5 days.	0 per session	Frequency
During conversation, the student will use humor or social phrases ("silly," "just kidding," "no way") at least once per session in 4 of 5 sessions.	0 of 5	Opportunities

Weak: "The student will interact with peers."

Measurable: "During play with peers, the student will comment to a peer on the device at least 2 times per play session on 4 of 5 days."

Device skills

Goal	Baseline	Measure
When a needed word is in a folder, the student will navigate to it within 15 seconds in 8 of 10 opportunities.	Median 45 seconds	Latency
When a message is not understood, the student will repair it on the device by repeating, adding a word or showing the screen in 4 of 5 breakdowns.	1 of 5	Opportunities
At arrival and after lunch, the student will check that the device is charged and with them, completing 3 of 3 checklist steps on 4 of 5 days.	1 of 3 steps	Checklist
When the device is not available, the student will use a low-tech backup board to request in 4 of 5 opportunities.	1 of 5	Opportunities

Weak: "The student will learn to use the device."

Measurable: "When a needed word is in a folder, the student will navigate to it within 15 seconds in 8 of 10 opportunities."

Language growth on the device

Goal	Baseline	Measure
Across 3 daily activities, the student will use at least 10 different core words (go, stop, more, help, like, not) per day for 3 weeks.	3 core words	Different words per day
During play and routines, the student will combine 2 symbols to comment, request or direct at least 10 times per day.	2 per day	Frequency
During shared reading, the student will produce 3-symbol messages ("dog is sad") in 4 of 5 sessions, at least twice per session.	1-symbol messages	Symbols per message
After an adult models a message on the device, the student will respond with a related message within 10 seconds in 6 of 10 models.	2 of 10	Opportunities

Weak: "The student will increase vocabulary."

Measurable: "Across 3 daily activities, the student will use at least 10 different core vocabulary words per day for 3 weeks."

Literacy and academics

Goal	Baseline	Measure
During content lessons, the student will answer academic questions on the device with 80% accuracy across 10 questions per week.	40% accuracy	Accuracy
When a word is not on the device, the student will spell it using the keyboard, with the first 2 letters correct, in 4 of 5 attempts.	1 of 5	Opportunities
After a read-aloud, the student will answer story questions on the device correctly for 4 of 5 questions.	2 of 5	Accuracy
During class discussion, the student will contribute a message prepared or composed on the device at least once per discussion in 4 of 5 discussions.	0 of 5	Opportunities

Weak: "The student will participate in academics as able."

Measurable: "During content lessons, the student will answer academic questions on the device with 80% accuracy across 10 questions per week." Literacy instruction matters for every AAC user; spelling gives access to any word.

Self-advocacy and community

Goal	Baseline	Measure
With an unfamiliar adult, the student will tell the partner how to communicate with them using a stored message or card in 4 of 5 opportunities.	0 of 5	Opportunities
In the cafeteria, the student will order lunch on the device without staff help on 4 of 5 days.	1 of 5	Opportunities
At the IEP meeting, the student will lead part of the meeting on the device, sharing at least 3 prepared messages about likes, strengths or goals.	Did not take part	Checklist
When upset or in pain, the student will use emotion words on the device to tell an adult in 4 of 5 opportunities.	1 of 5	Opportunities

Weak: "The student will communicate in the community."

Measurable: "In the cafeteria, the student will order lunch on the device without staff help on 4 of 5 days."

More templates are in the AAC goal templates, the IEP goals for AAC users and the early communication goals.

How to measure AAC goals

Opportunities for requesting, refusing and responses. Record each chance and whether the student used the device, and mark prompted or spontaneous. Use the opportunity data sheet.
Frequency for comments and initiations, which have no set opportunity. Count in a set 20-minute window with the frequency data sheet.
Language samples for symbols per message and core word variety. Many devices can log messages; with family consent, a 1-week log shows growth well.
Latency for navigation speed.

Note the prompt level each time. A goal met with a full model is a different skill from a goal met with no prompt.

Short-term objectives

For the two-symbol request goal:

After an adult models the two-symbol message, the student will request with 2 symbols in 8 of 10 opportunities.
After an expectant pause of 5 seconds, the student will request with 2 symbols in 8 of 10 opportunities.
With no model or pause, the student will request with 2 symbols in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 routines.

Adapting by age

Age band	Focus	Example adjustment
Preschool	Requesting, refusing, core words in play	Large symbols, adult modeling all day
Elementary	Combining symbols, commenting, reading responses	Core board in every room, spelling page
Middle school	Peer messages, class discussion, navigation speed	Pre-stored discussion messages
High school	Community use, self-advocacy, work settings	Ordering, job site phrases, leading the IEP

For the youngest students, see IEP goals for autistic preschoolers. For supports that go alongside these goals, see autism accommodations in the classroom. Paste any draft into the goal checker.

ASHA's practice portal on augmentative and alternative communication covers assessment, intervention and the roles of team members.^[2]

Frequently asked questions

Can a nonverbal student still have speech goals?

Yes, if speech is emerging and the student wants it. Speech goals can sit alongside AAC goals. AAC is not a reason to give up on speech, and many students use both. The main thing is that the student always has a reliable way to communicate.

Is nonverbal the right word?

Many autistic people prefer nonspeaking or minimally speaking, because they communicate in other ways and often understand a lot. Use the term the student and family prefer, and describe how the student communicates in the present levels.

Who writes AAC goals?

Usually the speech-language pathologist, with the special educator and family. Teachers and paras model and prompt AAC during the day, so they should help choose the goals and know how to take data.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), ASHA

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.