Speech therapy goals for nonverbal autistic students

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

Speech therapy goals for nonverbal autistic students target communication in any mode: gestures, signs, pictures, a speech-generating device and speech attempts all count. Start with what the student does now, such as reaching or leading an adult, and build intentional requests, refusals and shared attention. For example: during snack, Eli will request with a device or picture in 8 of 10 opportunities.

This page has 24 goals for autistic students who do not yet use speech as their main way to communicate. Many people in this group prefer the word nonspeaking, because not speaking is different from having nothing to say. Each goal shows the condition, a baseline, the criterion and the measurement, with a link to the full template.

The numbers are illustrations. Set your own from the student's baseline. For students who already use speech, see speech therapy goals for autism. For every speech-language area, start at the speech therapy IEP goals pillar.

AAC from the start, not as a last resort

Do not wait for speech before offering AAC. There are no prerequisites for it: a student does not need to point, match pictures or show a certain cognitive level before getting a system.^[3] Using AAC does not stop speech from developing, and many students vocalize more once a system is in place.

The IEP team must consider each student's communication needs and whether the student needs assistive technology devices and services.^[1] Schools must make those devices and services available when the IEP calls for them.^[2] For a nonspeaking student, that conversation should end with a plan, a system to try and a goal for using it. Write goals for communication across modes, so a sign, a device message and a word attempt all count as the student communicating.

How to choose the right goal

What the student does now	Sub-skill to target	Measurement method
Rarely looks where an adult points, plays alone	Shared attention	Opportunities: adult points 10 times, count follows
Takes an adult's hand to an item, or cries until an adult guesses	Intentional requesting	Opportunities during snack and play
Hits, drops or runs to refuse	Protesting and break requests	Opportunities: count each refusal and its form
Has a device, uses it only when prompted	Early AAC use with modeling	Frequency of spontaneous messages per 20 minutes
Makes sounds, some word attempts	Vocal and sign approximations	Opportunities with a model, scored by attempt
Unclear how much spoken language is understood	Understanding words and routines	Percent accuracy on a field of 2 to 4 choices

Shared attention and intent goals

Shared attention is the base for everything else on this page. It shows the student knows communication involves another person. See joint attention in the glossary.

During play with an adult, Kai will look toward an object the adult points to within 3 seconds in 8 of 10 points across 3 sessions. Baseline: 2 of 10. Template.
During free play, Kai will show a toy to an adult by holding it up or bringing it close at least 4 times per 15-minute session across 3 sessions. Baseline: 0 to 1. Template.
During a walk or a picture book, Rosa will point to share something interesting (not to request) at least 3 times per 15-minute session. Baseline: 0. Template.
During shared book reading, Rosa will stay with the adult and book for 5 minutes, turning pages or touching pictures, in 4 of 5 sessions. Baseline: about 1 minute. Template.

Weak: "Kai will improve joint attention." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It says what the adult does, what Kai does, how fast and how many times.

Requesting and choice-making goals

Requesting is usually the first goal because it gets an immediate result. Set up the room so the student has reasons to ask: items in sight but out of reach, containers that need opening, a snack in small portions.

During snack, Eli will reach toward or point to the item he wants, with the item in view, in 8 of 10 opportunities across 3 sessions. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.
Given a closed container with a preferred item, Eli will hand it to an adult to ask for help in 4 of 5 opportunities across 3 sessions. Baseline: 0 of 5; he cries until helped. Template.
Given two choices shown as objects or pictures, Mia will choose one by reaching, pointing or selecting a symbol in 8 of 10 choice points across 3 days. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.
During snack and play, Mia will hand a picture of a wanted item to a partner to request it in 8 of 10 opportunities with no physical prompt. Baseline: 2 of 10 with full physical help. Template.

Weak: "Eli will request wants and needs." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It names the setup, the form of the request and the count, so anyone can score it.

A clear way to say no is a safety skill. When a student can refuse with a symbol or sign, adults can respond to the message instead of the behavior. If a behavior plan uses functional communication training, write the communication goal so it matches that plan.

When asked to do a non-preferred task, Ana will use a symbol or sign for "no," "stop" or "break" instead of hitting or dropping in 8 of 10 opportunities across 2 weeks. Baseline: 1 of 10. Template.
When offered a food she does not want at lunch, Ana will push it away gently or use a no-thank-you sign in 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: throws food in 3 of 5. Template.
When asked a yes or no question about a wanted item, Theo will answer with a head shake, sign, symbol or vocalization that matches his choice in 8 of 10 questions. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.
During arrival and dismissal, Theo will wave, sign or select hello or goodbye in response to a greeting in 4 of 5 days for 2 weeks. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.

Weak: "Ana will reduce aggressive behavior." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It gives Ana a message that does the same job as the behavior.

Early AAC goals with partner modeling

Most early AAC goals depend on adults modeling on the device during real activities. This is aided language modeling: the adult touches symbols on the student's system while talking, without demanding a response. Write the modeling into the condition, so the goal measures the student under the support the team agreed to give.

During snack and play with adults modeling on the device, Leo will use a word the adult just modeled, within 10 seconds, in 5 of 10 modeled turns across 3 sessions. Baseline: 0 of 10. Template.
Across 3 daily activities with partner modeling, Leo will use 5 different core words (such as more, go, stop, help, all done) at least 10 times per day. Baseline: 1 word, 2 times per day. Template.
During centers, Maya will request items and actions with her speech-generating device at least 8 times per 30-minute block across 3 days. Baseline: 1 to 2 prompted requests. Template.
When the device is out of reach and Maya wants to say something, she will go and get it, or lead an adult to it, in 4 of 5 opportunities. Baseline: 0 of 5. Template.

Weak: "Maya will use her device with prompting." Measurable: Goal 3 above. It counts messages per block and names the setting. Prompted and spontaneous messages should be tallied separately.

Many more device goals, from two-word combinations to repairs, are on the AAC goals page and in AAC goals examples.

Vocal, sign and speech attempt goals

Speech goals belong next to AAC goals, not instead of them. Count attempts and approximations; do not require a perfect word.

During a sound play game, Nora will imitate a sound or mouth shape the adult makes in 6 of 10 turns across 3 sessions. Baseline: 1 of 10. Template.
During snack, Nora will pair a sign with a spoken attempt for more, eat or drink in 5 of 10 opportunities. Baseline: sign only, no vocalization. Template.
Across the school day, Sam will use signs for help, more and all done when needed, in 8 of 10 observed opportunities. Baseline: 2 of 10. Template.
Given a model, Sam will say 5 consonant-vowel words (such as me, go, no) with a recognizable shape in 4 of 5 attempts per word across 3 sessions. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.

Weak: "Nora will increase verbal output." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It sets a clear target (a sign plus an attempt) and counts it.

Understanding language goals

Never assume a nonspeaking student understands little. Test it with a response the student can give reliably, such as a point, eye gaze, a switch or picking up an object.

Given 3 familiar objects on the table, Ella will hand over or touch the one named in 8 of 10 trials across 3 sessions. Baseline: 4 of 10. Template.
During class routines, Ella will follow a one-step direction (such as "get your cup") without a gesture in 8 of 10 directions across a week. Baseline: 3 of 10 without a gesture. Template.
When the adult names the next routine (such as "time for snack"), Jay will start moving toward it within 15 seconds in 4 of 5 transitions. Baseline: about 60 seconds, or only with a physical prompt. Template.
During partner-assisted scanning, Jay will signal yes when the partner names his choice in 8 of 10 choice sets of 3 items. Baseline: 3 of 10. Template.

Weak: "Ella will improve receptive language." Measurable: Goal 1 above. The field size, the response and the count are all defined.

How to measure progress

Measure in natural routines whenever you can. Snack, arrival, centers and play give many short opportunities in a few minutes.

Opportunities data suits requesting, refusing and receptive goals. Plan 10 opportunities per session and score each one: independent, after a model, after a physical prompt, or no response. The opportunity trial data sheet works as is; add a column for the mode used.
Frequency counts suit spontaneous AAC use and shared attention. Count in a session of fixed length, such as 20 minutes, so counts compare across weeks. The frequency data sheet fits.
Latency suits routine and direction goals. Use the latency data sheet and time from the direction to the first movement.

Record the mode for each message: gesture, sign, picture, device or vocal. A rise in device messages and a drop in crying is progress even if speech has not changed. For more detail on running data in group sessions, see speech therapy data collection.

Short-term objectives for these goals

Step up one thing at a time: the prompt level, the number of partners or the number of settings.

For the device-requesting goal, the first objective might be 4 requests per 30 minutes with full modeling in the therapy room. The second might be 6 requests in the classroom with modeling from the teacher. The third might be 8 requests across centers with modeling from any adult. The short-term objectives guide covers how to write them.

Adapting by age and support level

Student	Focus	Example change
Preschool, new to any system	Shared attention, reaching, choice of 2	Measure in play, 15 minutes, any mode counts
Elementary, early device user	Core words, requesting, refusing	Add "with partner modeling" and count per block
Elementary, many behaviors around demands	Break and no messages matched to the behavior plan	Score every refusal, by form
Middle and high school	Choice making, greetings, community use	Use cafeteria, store and job site as settings
Motor access limits pointing	Eye gaze, switch or partner-assisted scanning	Write the access method into the condition

The IEP goals for AAC users and IEP goals for autism hubs list goals from other areas, such as self-care and behavior, that share these students, and IEP goals for autism covers them by age. Paste any draft into the goal checker before the meeting.

Frequently asked questions

Does a nonspeaking student need to show readiness before getting AAC?

No. There are no prerequisite skills for AAC. A student does not need to match pictures, point accurately or reach a certain cognitive level first. The team can start with a simple system, model on it during real activities and adjust as the student shows what works.

Will AAC stop my student from learning to talk?

AAC does not stop speech from developing. Many students make more sounds and word attempts once they have a reliable way to communicate. Keep speech goals alongside AAC goals so the team tracks both.

How do I write a goal when the student only communicates through behavior?

Start with the message the behavior sends, such as no, help or break. Write a goal for a symbol, sign or device message that sends the same message, and count how often the student uses it when the situation comes up.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.105: Assistive technology, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), ASHA
Progress Monitoring: Data & Goal Setting, National Center on Intensive Intervention

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.