Heather Burroughs on Presuming Competence & NY’s Communication Rights Bill

David interviews Heather Burroughs, a school psychologist and advocate shaped by growing up with an autistic sister and later fighting for her non-speaking daughter Devin, who has a rare genetic condition. Heather recounts an eight-year federal court battle after a school district refused to allow Devin’s service dog as a reasonable accommodation, spending major resources to argue Devin lacked competency; media attention, including a billboard, helped draw Department of Justice involvement. She describes how traditional services like years of speech therapy failed to unlock communication, while motor-based spelling/letter boards revealed Devin’s complex language and preferences, underscoring the “non-speaking is non-thinking” myth. The conversation centers on New York’s Communication Rights Bill, its national ripple effects, and concerns that added language requiring “validation” and full independence would undermine access, including for people in group homes. Heather’s tip urges shifting IEP narratives from deficits to what’s possible with support.   Topics 00:38 Meet Heather Burroughs 03:21 Advocacy Roots 05:10 From Shy to Seen 07:22 Why Systems Must Change 08:57 The Service Dog Fight 11:16 Courtroom Pressure Tactics 13:52 Discovering Spelling 17:20 Why Communication Rights Matter 21:03 Billboard Advocacy 22:48 How the NY Bill Started 27:00 False Accusations Myth 32:33 Therapy Gaps and Discrimination 34:04 Systemic Bias and Big Business 36:52 Deficit Talk Trap 37:58 ABA Incentives Clash 39:10 Unlocking Communication 44:12 Dysregulation Coaching 45:31 Rights and Enforcement 47:40 Resources and Rallying 49:03 Tip Shift the Narrative 53:02 Fact or Fiction Myth 56:25 Parent Confession Target 01:01:54 High Note Breakthroughs 01:05:26 Closing Thanks and Fight