This winning presentation examines how disabled young adults experience the transition from school to adulthood. Using accessible interviews and layered multimodal analysis, it captures communication beyond speech. Findings show that belonging, relationships and purpose matter, but being listened to is the top priority, and future planning should begin with people’s goals.

This study examines whether picture-based communication boards can help minimally verbal autistic preschoolers initiate communication independently. Through structured play sessions, children are introduced to visual tools that may support self-expression without adult prompting. The research aims to enhance participation, language development, and autonomy by shifting children from passive observers to active communicators.