Designing a Rapid-Implementation Visual System for a Child with Autism

This paper presents the design and observational evaluation of a custom visual communication system for a nonverbal child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and spastic cerebral palsy. The system was structured in three levels of symbolic representation: colors, geometric shapes, and alphabetic markers. The intervention consisted of daily 10-minute sessions over a sevenweek period, embedded in the participant's natural routines. Results indicate that the color-concept association was acquired by Week 3, geometric shape differentiation was consolidated and maintained through Week 6, and alphabetic markers, introduced from Week 3 to Week 7, were not assimilated. A complementary sensory storytelling activity, initiated in Week 5, showed progressive improvement in recognition rates (60%, 80%, and 90% across three phases). The findings suggest that perceptually grounded, lowcomplexity symbolic systems can provide accessible communication alternatives for nonverbal individuals in low-resource settings. Limitations include the single-case design, the short intervention period, and the absence of quantitative validation. Future work should explore replication with larger samples, integration of digital supports, and connections with early literacy skills. © 2025 IEEE.