Everyone Communicates

Massachusetts Guidelines for the Preparation of Teachers of [Students with] Moderate and Severe disabilities, December 2011

2012-01-09T15:04:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Massachusetts for its new Guidelines for the Preparation of Teachers of [Students with] Moderate and Severe Disabilities: Instruction on the appropriate use of augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies, December 2011. Supporting effective communication is a critically important step in supporting self-determination.

http://www.massadvocates.org/documents/DESEAACGuidelines.pdf

Notable among the guidelines is the inclusion of information on Facilitated Communication Training (Section II Program and Course Design, 2d). Although I have heard two AAC supporters question the inclusion of Facilitated Communication training, due to its having been considered a controversial AAC method, I am glad to see it included in the training guidelines, and I consider its inclusion highly justified. For anyone who has questions about this, I will provide some information and updates to clarify the issue. I will also provide some links for additional reading. This is a complex issue which is sometimes misunderstood and misrepresented. The best approach to it is to understand the complexity.

Support from National Advocacy Organizations

Two national advocacy organizations have had position statements that support Facilitated Communication Training for several years: TASH, Autism National Committee (AutCom). Although it has not issued a statement in support of FC training, the AAIDD (American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disability) has removed from its website an old position statement recommending caution in its use. In light of the demonstrated progress that has been made by many people who use FC to communicate, other organizations are considering writing supportive statements in the coming year.

In 2011, a landmark documentary film about two men with autism who communicate by typing was released to critical acclaim: Wretches and Jabberers. In the film, two men with autism travel around the world in their quest to change the world’s perspective on disability and people who have limited speech. Both men learned to communicate with fluent natural language through typing with support, using methods of facilitated communication training. The film was selected by the Autism Society as its featured film for Autism Awareness Month and was screened in many locations around the US during April 2011 and after. The two stars and their facilitators delivered the keynote at the Autism Society’s national conference in 2011 and have made numerous keynote presentations, including one at the Arc of Virginia 2011 Annual Conference in Virginia Beach. Both the Autism Society and the Arc have been highly supportive of the film, its stars, and its message. The Autism Society lists Facilitated Communication as a Treatment Option in its brochure Next Steps: A Guide for Families New to Autism.

http://support.autism-society.org/site/DocServer/nextsteps06.pdf?docID=4203

Controversy and Discussion

Although the research results have been varied relating to FC, the review and opinion articles which claim that FC has been disproven or “debunked” actually overstate the research results. They fail to acknowledge or take into account the research studies in which people have been able to communicate their own messages when their facilitators did not know the content of what they wished to communicate. Interestingly, the studies have not all asked the same research question. Some have sought to know whether influence can happen, and other studies have sought to find out if people can communicate their own thoughts and under what conditions. Studies have found that influence can happen, and studies have also shown that people using FC have been able to communicate their own messages unknown to the facilitator. Bob Rubin addresses the research quite well in his presentation linked below on the ICI website.

The FC Controversy: What is it? Why is there a controversy? by Bob Rubin, Ph.D. http://soe.syr.edu/media/documents/2010/7/Why_the_FC_Controversy.pdf

The information at the following link includes basics about the method of facilitated communication training and about research, with references for research studies on all sides of the issue:

http://soe.syr.edu/media/documents/2010/7/ICI_Research_Statement_2010.pdf

A related article on supported typing and authorship at the following link provides additional helpful information:

http://soe.syr.edu/centers_institutes/institute_communication_inclusion/about_the_ici/Authorship.aspx

Best Practices in Facilitated Communication Training

Although there has been controversy about the method of facilitated communication training, it is important to take a closer look to understand what is FC and what is not FC. In some cases reported in the media and research literature, what has been called FC has been far from the best practice standards which have been developed for FC training. Here is a link to a document listing the elements of Best Practices in Facilitated Communication Training: http://soe.syr.edu/media/documents/2010/6/FUNDAMENTAL_PRINCIPLES_AND_BEST_PRACTICES.pdf Including in teacher training some information about these principles and best practices should be of value, because teachers need to know about the method, to recognize good technique, and to understand the many environmental and interactional variables that can be supportive or detrimental to communication success. They need to know that the goal is independent communication and that this may be a slow and long-term process which may be achieved first through independent yes/no or multiple choice responses before independent open communication is achieved. They also need to know that while working on more complex communication, one also seeks to help the person develop some type of reliable independent communication, such as independently indicating YES or NO or selecting a response from an array of choices. In addition, they need to understand about communication partner skills, movement difficulties and sensory issues, which can have a significant effect on communication.

Increasing Reports of Success

There is an increasing number of people who have used this training successfully beginning in the early 1990s to gain verifiable, reliable independent communication. Many have made notable personal progress in gaining better control of their behaviors and conversational abilities. They have benefited from exposure to print-rich environments and from literacy instruction, which is often not provided to all students who use or need access to AAC, as we know from the many battles of which we hear between parents and schools. A significant number have graduated from high school and college and pursued advanced degrees. For them, the controversy is over, as Beukelman and Mirenda noted in their AAC textbook.

Last Resort Method

The method of facilitated communication training is not a perfect method and is typically a method of last resort to get to more effective, fluent communication. Sometimes it is used in an effort to get any reliable communication, after other methods such as modeling and the use of PECS and sign language and other methods have been tried for years unsuccessfully. FC training can certainly be done poorly, as can any method. In many of the early studies, the training and experience of the facilitators was very limited and was insufficient to teach them strategies for minimizing the likelihood of influence and for teaching the typers to indicate in some way that they were being influenced and not communicating their own messages. Many professionals are waiting for more large-scale quantitative clinical trial research studies with control groups to be conducted so that they might be able to predict what percentage of people will benefit before they will recommend it. Meanwhile, the number of children and adults who are having verifiable success is growing, as their families learn the method and document the specific support that is helpful to their family member and their evidence of independent communication.

FC training is not for everyone, but it has been a method that has helped some people. As with any AAC method, success takes a dedicated team that presumes competence and intellect, works together and learns together how to support the individual using the best techniques, works toward literacy and independent thought and effective fluent communication, tries a variety of methods, and never gives up on the person.

My Perspective

I am a facilitated communication trainer (having completed the introductory FC training and the training of trainers seminar) with an M.Ed. in special education with a specialization in severe and profound disabilities. I learned the method in the early 1990s and have seen it work with many people but not with everyone with whom it has been tried. I have followed the research, controversy, successes and failures, progress and setbacks. People with whom I have seen FCT work have typically been exposed to print-rich environments and have had the opportunity to gain literacy skills. I have not witnessed spontaneous immediate poetry-writing, perfect spelling, or immediate fluent communication. The months and years of hard work that may precede the communication of fluent natural language are seldom documented in news reports. The adults with whom I have worked have typically taken weeks or months to show signs that the method might be one that could potentially be helpful to them—and they have had limited previous success or no success with every other method tried, such as signing, PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), communication boards, and so forth. They may have been presumed to have limited understanding and may have had labels of significant intellectual disability, based on their poor performance on tests of intelligence which relied on their impulsive movement, limited pointing skills and impaired motor planning.

As we know, without reliable pointing or another way to demonstrate understanding, people sometimes assume the individual has limited cognitive ability and limited learning potential. I see Massachusetts’ move to train teachers about AAC in all its forms and to teach them about how to support people who use AAC as a huge step forward. Many people with speech impairments still wait in silence for effective communication. Their progress in improving their communication will depend on the communication supports provided by parents, friends, and professionals in schools and other services. Giving teachers the skills they need to support students who use AAC or who need access to AAC is a great start.

Congratulations to Massachusetts and to the students who will benefit from having teachers who know more about augmentative and alternative communication and other assistive technologies!

Webcams List is Uploaded!

2010-08-25T09:18:00.002-04:00

Visit our AAC Visibility and Awareness Project web page and scroll down to the Webcam Lists by State. http://aacvisibilityandawareness.blogspot.com/ See if there are any webcams near you. If you know of other webcams, or if you research and find one or more in your area, please let us know. We have identified over 500 webcams where one might be seen on camera either communicating using an alternative communication method or doing a small or large event to promote visibility and awareness of AAC in many communities. We have also assembled a page that lists Restaurants and Other Eating Establishments, including photos of some of the webcam views. http://aacvisibilitywebcams7.blogspot.com/

Enjoy! Have fun promoting AAC in your community and around the world via internet in October and beyond.

Requesting a little help from our Friends . . .

2010-08-16T12:33:00.005-04:00

Hello Friends of AAC:

Sometimes spending a little time can help in a big way. We are looking for a little help in preparing for our national AAC Visibility and Awareness Events this October. We are trying to locate easily accessible public webcams in every community. We will add them to our list of places where people who use AAC (augmentative and alternative communication methods) and their supporters may be seen on the internet in October promoting access to communication training, technology and ongoing supports for all who have little or no effective speech. (See "Webcam Links List by States" below.)

• We would love it if you could take 10 minutes to call a local community college, tourist attraction, organization or business and see if they have a public webcam—or do some online research of your local area to find webcams there.

If you cannot do this, we understand. If you can help, many people who need access to communication may benefit.

• If you know a person who cannot speak clearly or effectively and who uses alternative communication, including computers, electronic speaking devices , spelling boards, sign language, or another form of alternative communication,

• Please tell the person about our project and ask if they could spend a little time, from 20 minutes to 1 hour, near a pubic webcam, any day in October 2010 to raise awareness of AAC.

So,

• If you can find a webcam, great

• If you can find or know someone who would be glad to and able to use AAC in front of a webcam in October—really Great!

• If you do not know someone who uses AAC yet, please help us by spreading the word to people who might know someone. We also invite you and supporters of AAC to consider helping in October by planning an AAC awareness event at a public webcam near you: hold up a sign, have a rally, spell out an AAC message with your friends, pass out information on AAC (we can provide a flyer to print)

• We have posted a photo of a preliminary event held in Eugene, Oregon in the Owen Rose Garden. Check it out here: http://aacvisibilityevents2010.blogspot.com/

Thank you!

Judy Bailey judybailey@aol.com
Barbara Cunningham BACBDS7371@aol.com

Take 5 Minutes for Webcams

2010-06-28T22:28:00.000-04:00

AAC Visibility Webcam Event

“55 Minutes Before October”-- Take 5 for Webcams

Please take 5 minutes to locate public webcams near you.

Everyone Communicates is working to develop an extensive list of webcams in every state for use in the AAC Visibility and Awareness Project in October 2010 (see below for more information). We are looking for accessible, safe, and highly visible ones. You can help us by finding webcams in your community or region and sending us the links to your local cams.

To use your limited time well, you might start by contacting local colleges, businesses or government offices to locate accessible high visibility webcams. You could also do a web search on your city or town name and “webcam”. Look for webcams in public or business locations that are placed low enough to see people and signs or banners. We wish to avoid personal webcams, as the locations and content might not fit our objectives.

We have set up this blogspot with information on the AAC Visibility and Awareness Project. We have begun to add our webcam lists, organized by state, to the links section below for easy reference. We think that people will enjoy checking the cams on the list and thinking of fun events for them.

Contact: Judy Bailey, M.Ed., Project Director, Everyone Communicates, ICON Community Services, 1240 N. Pitt Street, Suite LL, Alexandria, VA 22314 jbailey@iconservices.org or judybailey@aol.com

Contact: Barbara A. Cunningham, Ed.D.; BACBDS7371@aol.com
Retired Child Development Specialist, Director of Kids with Disabilities Included, Volunteer, AAC Visibility and Awareness Project 2010; Happy Mom of Sean Sokler, B.A. '05, George Mason U. and AAC User. Blog: www.KidswithDisabilitiesIncludedandWhyNot.wordpress.com

Further information:

Everyone Communicates invites you to join us in raising awareness of the need for ALL (yes ALL) people who have limited or no effective speech to gain access to alternative communication methods (AAC).
Many people around the world are still waiting in silence for access to training, support, and technology to communicate.

We believe that everyone communicates and that everyone can learn to communicate effectively, with access to the right training, support and technology. There is a large array of communication methods and devices that may make communication possible for them. Help us spread the word that there are always alternatives to explore when someone has little or no effective speech.

We are planning an AAC Visibility Webcam Event around the USA for October 2010 International AAC Awareness Month.

We want to make sure that people who already use alternative communication methods are visible in their community and around the world. They may be the mentors and role models who will help others and their families and supporters to pursue AAC methods themselves or with people whom they know.

In many communities there are public webcams viewable on the internet.

We have located over webcams so far in all 50 States which might possibly work for this event, depending on whether they are accessible, safe, and convenient for use by any given individual. We invite people who use alternative communication methods and those who might help them, to locate a webcam in their area (we have lists to help, or people may use their own webcam in a public place) and spend some time communicating in easy view of the webcam. Have a conversation, have a meal (some webcams are in restaurants!), hold a rally, hand out information on AAC, make a purchase (some webcams are in stores), hold up a banner, or just wave to the camera. Have a friend capture the cam view on their computer or get a photo of your event and send it to us with forms which we will provide.

Please help us to show the world that people who use alternative methods for communication can be anywhere and everywhere, participating in their communities.

Write us with your ideas for this event and tell us about your plans to publicize it. Let us know, too, if you or someone you know who uses AAC might participate in the AAC Visibility and Awareness event in October. We will provide more information soon on how we wish to capture this event to share on our website. We will also provide more ideas about rallies and other awareness activities to spread the word about AAC with fun and celebration.

Contact: Judy Bailey, M.Ed., Project Director, Everyone Communicates, ICON Community Services, 1240 N. Pitt Street, Suite LL, Alexandria, VA 22314; jbailey@iconservices.org or judybailey@aol.com www.everyonecommunicates.org and Facebook: Everyone Communicates

Contact: Barbara A. Cunningham, Ed.D.; BACBDS7371@aol.com
Retired Child Development Specialist, Director of Kids with Disabilities Included; Volunteer, AAC Visibility and Awareness Project 2010; Happy Mom of Sean Sokler, B.A. '05, George Mason U. and AAC User. Blog: www.KidswithDisabilitiesIncludedandWhyNot.wordpress.com

Song: I'm a Yankee Doodle Advocate--ADA & AAC Advocacy song

2010-06-28T21:35:00.002-04:00

I’m a Yankee Doodle Advocate – ADA & AAC song, ISAAC International AAC Awareness task force and TASH Communication Committee (tune: chorus of I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy by George M. Cohan; public domain song)

I’m a Yankee Doodle Advocate,
A Yankee Doodle do or die,
A real campaigner for the ADA
Signed in the month of July.
I’ve got a Yankee Doodle vision
For the future you will see:
Social justice, full inclusion, opportunity
And equity, yes, for one and all.

Welcome ADA campaigners.
It’s good to see you here today.
We come together here to celebrate.
Yes, we have come a long way.
But we still need to advocate for
Communication rights you see.
People live in silence needing good communication
Time to campaign for A-A-C.

Everyone needs to communicate
And needs literacy, too.
A conversation helps to set us free.
Mentors help both you and me.
We know that role models can show us
Endless possibilities:
Self-determination and communication freedom,
They are a right for you and me.

Yes we all need conversation
Anywhere and anytime
With anyone and about anything
That we may have on our minds.
We all need self-determination
With communication rights,
Social justice, full inclusion, opportunity
And equity, yes, for one and all.

"55 Before October"

2010-06-12T15:35:00.002-04:00

“55 Before October”

Please give us “55 minutes before October” 2010 to promote AAC Awareness around the USA.

Everyone Communicates invites you to join us in raising awareness of the need for ALL (yes ALL) people who have limited or no effective speech to gain access to alternative communication methods (AAC).

Many people around the world are still waiting in silence for access to training, support, and technology to communicate. We believe that everyone communicates and that everyone can learn to communicate effectively, with access to the right training, support and technology. There is a large array of communication methods and devices that may make communication possible for them. Help us spread the word that there are always alternatives to explore when someone has little or no effective speech.

We are planning an AAC Visibility Webcam Event around the USA for October 2010 International AAC Awareness Month. We want to make sure that people who already use alternative communication methods are visible in their community and around the world. They may be the mentors and role models who help others and their families and supporters to pursue AAC methods themselves or with people whom they know.

In many communities there are public webcams which are viewable on the internet. We have located over 330 webcams so far which might work for this event. We invite people who use alternative communication methods to locate a webcam in their area (we have a list to help, or people may use their own webcam in a public place) and spend some time communicating in easy view of the webcam. Have a conversation, have a meal (some webcams are in restaurants!), hold a rally, hand out information on AAC, make a purchase (some webcams are in stores), hold up a banner, or just wave to the camera. Have a friend capture the cam view on their computer or get a photo of your event and send it to us with forms which we will provide.

Help us to show the world that people who use alternative methods for communication can be everywhere participating in their communities. Write us with your ideas for this event and tell us about your plans to publicize it. Let us know, too, if you or someone you know will participate in October. We will provide more information soon on how we wish to capture this event to share on our website. We will also provide more ideas about rallies and other awareness activities to spread the word about AAC with fun and celebration.

If you would like more information on alternative communication methods, you may find it on these websites:
http://www.aacawareness.org/
http://www.everyonecommunicates.org/
http://www.isaac-online.org/
http://www.ussaac.org/

Here are a few of the famous or soon-to-be-famous webcam sites we have located:

Prejean’s Restaurant in Lafayette, LA http://www.webcamsmania.com/webcam/prejeansrestaurant

Marco’s Trattoria and Pizzeria in West Hollywood, CA http://marcoswesthollywood.com/webcam/

The Hook in Downtown Charlottesville, VA
http://webcamsmania.com/webcam/thehookdowntown

Contact: Judy Bailey, M.Ed., Project Director, Everyone Communicates, ICON Community Services, 1240 N. Pitt Street, Suite LL, Alexandria, VA 22314 jbailey@iconservices.org or judybailey@aol.com

Contact: Barbara A. Cunningham, Ed.D., BACBDS7371@aol.com
Retired Child Development Specialist, Director of Kids with Disabilities Included Volunteer, AAC Visibility and Awareness Project 2010; Happy Mom of Sean Sokler

ISAAC AAC Awareness Campaign Dates for your Diary

2010-06-12T09:05:00.011-04:00

International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication
www.isaac-online.org

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC*) Awareness Month October 2010

Many Cultures, One Dream: Communication Without Barriers

Dates for your Diary--UPDATE:

New Date: July 1, 2010 – closing date for Writing Collection entries to share at ISAAC Barcelona. Entries by September 1 will be uploaded to website for October. At least one story or video by a person who uses AAC from every country and state. Stories, submission and consent forms to: stories@aacawareness.org Send us the link to your movies online.

July 24-29 ISAAC 14th Biennial International Conference, Barcelona
Come to Barcelona for the latest AAC and Literacy research, project reports, consumer presentations, AAC exhibition and social events, plus pre-conference inclusive music with the AAC Band! www.isaac-online.org

August 15, 2010 – closing date for International AAC Awareness Song Inclusive Singing Videos. Submit a movie of you using AAC to sing or sign with family or friends “If I Had a VOCA” or the “ABCs of Communication Rights” song. Clips from around the world will be merged to create a harmony of the different methods of communication.
Lyrics and the programmed songs for download to communication devices are on the website!

October 2010 – All Month – Events. In October people read the stories, show the movies, sing the songs, try out AAC quizzes and games, and celebrate AAC at events around the world. We challenge every country and state to conduct and report on at least one AAC event.

October 20, 2010 – 24-Hour Read-a-Thon
Join our global chat on Skype, Facebook and Twitter for 24 hours of sharing AAC information, stories and movies.

Submission and Permission forms and
More about these AAC Month events: www.aacawareness.org
Inquiries to: info@aacawareness.org

ISAAC promotes the human rights of people who use AAC for full participation, equalization of opportunity and development.

*AAC: Augmentative & Alternative Communication – means other ways to speak and write for people with speech impairments or disabilities, including electronic talking aids, computers, boards and books with pictures, words and letters, Talking Mats, Communication Passports, eye-gaze, partner-assisted scanning, facilitated communication training, gesture and sign language.

Webcam event ideas

2010-06-07T15:32:00.005-04:00

We developed a slide to show some ideas of events and activities that might be fun for the Visibility project in October. It is just a start to get you thinking creatively as you locate safe, accessible public webcams in your area and think about how you might like to promote understanding of and access to AAC. You might plan to do something on your own or with family and friends or with other community members who have an interest in AAC. Be creative, have some fun, and spread the word. Anyone might someday need access to alternatives for communicating--and their families will need to know how to interact and to support their communication using an alternative method. Let's make AAC technology, information, and advocacy visible anywhere and everywhere. See below for a slide with several ideas (Event ideas slide).

Dates for Your Diary--2010 AAC Month Events and Plans

2010-06-07T11:56:00.003-04:00

International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC*) Awareness Month October 2010

Many Cultures, One Dream: Communication Without Barriers

Dates for your Diary--UPDATE:

New Date: July 1, 2010 – closing date for Writing Collection entries to share at ISAAC Barcelona. Entries by September 1 will be uploaded to website for October. At least one story or video by a person who uses AAC from every country and state. Stories, submission and consent forms to: stories@aacawareness.org Send us the link to your movies online.

July 24-29 ISAAC 14th Biennial International Conference, Barcelona
Come to Barcelona for the latest AAC and Literacy research, project reports, consumer presentations, AAC exhibition and social events, plus pre-conference inclusive music with the AAC Band! www.isaac-online.org

August 15, 2010 – closing date for International AAC Awareness Song Inclusive Singing Videos. Submit a movie of you using AAC to sing or sign with family or friends “If I Had a VOCA” or the “ABCs of Communication Rights” song. Clips from around the world will be merged to create a harmony of the different methods of communication.
Lyrics and the programmed songs for download to communication devices are on the website!

October 2010 – All Month – Events. In October people read the stories, show the movies, sing the songs, try out AAC quizzes and games, and celebrate AAC at events around the world. We challenge every country and state to conduct and report on at least one AAC event.

October 20, 2010 – 24-Hour Read-a-Thon
Join our global chat on Skype, Facebook and Twitter for 24 hours of sharing AAC information, stories and movies.

Submission and Permission forms and
More about these AAC Month events: www.aacawareness.org
Inquiries to: info@aacawareness.org

ISAAC promotes the human rights of people who use AAC for full participation, equalization of opportunity and development.

Song: If I Had a VOCA (Voice Output Communication Aid)

2010-06-07T00:35:00.001-04:00

If I Had a VOCA (Voice Output Communication Aid) (Tune: If I Had a Hammer)*

If I had a VOCA,
I'd talk in the morning
I'd talk in the evening
All over this land.
I'd talk about justice,
I'd talk about freedom,
I'd talk about love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

If I had a keyboard,
I'd type in the morning,
I'd type in the evening,
All over this land.
I'd type about justice,
I'd type about freedom,
I'd type about love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

If I had a story,
I'd write it in the morning,
I'd write it in the evening,
All over this land.
I'd write about justice,
I'd write about freedom,
I'd write about love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

Well I got a VOCA,
And I got a keyboard,
And I got a story to write,
All over this land.
It's the VOCA of Justice,
It's the keyboard of Freedom,
It's the story about Love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

It's the VOCA of Justice,
It's the keyboard of Freedom,
It's the story about Love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

NOTE: Original words and music of "If I Had a Hammer" were by Lee Hays and Pete Seeger. The arrangement used in "If I Had a VOCA" on YouTube was by Peter, Paul and Mary, who brought the Hays and Seeger song to an older, now, and future generation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJi_Si_jTHk

Song: It's a Long Way to Conversation (AAC and Literacy Advocacy)

2010-06-07T00:15:00.000-04:00

It’s a Long Way to Conversation: AAC and Literacy Advocacy Song (to the tune of chorus only of "It’s a Long Way to Tipperary")

It’s a long way to conversation.
It’s a long way to go.
Literacy will help you.
You will need mentors also.
Role models, too, can show you
Endless possibilities.
It’s a long, long way to conversation,
But my heart's right there.

Come and let me tell you more now.
I talk with technology.
People call it A-A-C.
It provides a voice for me.
You wonder how it works now.
Let me show you then you’ll see.
It was a long, long way to conversation,
But it was waiting for me.

A-A-C now what IS that?
Ways to choose, discuss and chat.
If it is hard to speak then,
Alternatives may help with that.
Pointing, signing and typing,
Eye-gaze or switch to press.
It’s a long long way to conversation,
But you’ll get there yet.

Who really needs A-A-C?
Many people you will see.
Anyone who cannot find
How to speak what’s on their mind.
Never doubt that A-A-C
Sets thoughts and feelings free.
It’s a long, long way to conversation,
But it’s a good place to be!

There’s one more thing that you must know now.
Hear us well before we go.
Everyone communicates, yes,
Listen and facilitate.
Silence won’t have to rule now
People just need A-A-C.
It’s a long, long way to conversation,
But that’s where we’ll be.

So to set free our conversation,
Teach us literacy.
Help us connect with mentors,
‘Cause they help both you and me.
Role models, too, can show us
Endless possibilities.
It’s a long, long way to conversation,
But it’s a great place to be.

Song: She'll Be Using Her Technology to Talk (AAC song)

2010-06-07T00:05:00.001-04:00

She’ll Be Using Her Technology to Talk (She’ll Have Freedom to Communicate at Last) (tune: She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain)

She’ll be coming ‘round the mountain when she comes
She’ll be coming ‘round the mountain when she comes
She’ll be coming ‘round the mountain
She’ll be coming ‘round the mountain
She’ll be coming ‘round the mountain when she comes.

Oh we’ll all come out to meet her when she comes
Oh we’ll all come out to meet her when she comes
Oh we’ll all come out to meet her
Oh we’ll all come out to meet her
Oh we’ll all come out to meet her when she comes.

She’ll be using her technology to talk.
She’ll be using her technology to talk.
She’ll be using her technology,
Using her technology,
Using her technology to talk.

She will wave and say “How are you?” to us all.
She will wave and say “How are you?” to us all.
She will wave and say “How are you?”
And she’ll tell us “I have missed you!”
She will wave and say “How are you?” to us all.

She will talk with anybody when she comes.
She will talk with anybody when she comes.
She will talk with anybody—
Anytime and Anywhere and
About anything she wants to when she comes.

She will tell us jokes and stories when she comes.
She will tell us jokes and stories when she comes.
Anywhere and anytime and
She may even sing and rhyme and
We will have great conversations when she comes.

We will talk with her 'til midnight when she comes.
We will talk with her 'til midnight when she comes.
We will talk with her 'til midnight,
We will laugh and have a good time,
We will talk with her til midnight when she comes.

She’ll have Freedom to Communicate at last.
She’ll have Freedom to Communicate at last.
She’ll have Freedom to Communicate,
Yes Freedom to Communicate,
Yes Freedom to Communicate at last.

Song: Take Me to Conversation: AAC and Literacy Advocacy

2010-06-06T23:44:00.001-04:00

Take Me to Conversation: AAC Awareness Song
(tune of Take Me Out to the Ballgame)

I must have conversation.
Teach me literacy.
It will set my conversation free.
You must introduce mentors to me.
And of course role models with help me
Because they show what can be
Self-determination and more possibilities.

Come and hang out with me, I
Talk with technology.
People call it AAC, you know,
It gives me a strong voice and although
You may think perhaps it cannot be,
I’ll show you and you’ll see,
Conversation works very well with my A-A-C.

A-A-C is just ways to
Choose, discuss, and to chat.
If perhaps speaking is hard, you see,
Then alternatives may be the key,
And with pointing, signing or typing,
Eye-gaze or switches to press
Conversation happens and takes away lots of stress.

Who you ask needs A-A-C?
Many people you see
Anyone who tries and cannot find
How to speak to say what’s on their mind.
You must never doubt that A-A-C
Sets thoughts and feelings free.
A-A-C conversation gets better with literacy.

One last thing that you must know,
Hear us before we go.
Yes, everyone does communicate.
Listen well and facilitate.
And then silence won’t have to rule ‘cause
People have A-A-C.
You can make a difference presuming competence.

So yes . . .
We all need conversation.
We need literacy.
Yes, conversation can set us free.
Mentors also help both you and me.
And of course role models can help us,
Because they show what can be:
Self-determination and more possibilities.

Song: Yankee Doodle AAC Advocate: Communication Rights (short version)

2010-06-06T23:25:00.001-04:00

Here are lyrics I wrote in honor of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the ADA, using the George M. Cohan tune (which is now in the public domain). Anyone who wishes to use them is welcome to do so. I would love to hear of any occasions when they are sung.

Yankee Doodle AAC Advocate: Communication Rights Song (tune: I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy)

I’m a Yankee Doodle Advocate,
A Yankee Doodle do or die,
A real campaigner for the ADA
Signed in the month of July.
I’ve got a Yankee Doodle vision
For the future, you will see:
Self-determination and communication freedom.
We must campaign for A-A-C.

Everyone needs to communicate
And needs literacy, too.
A conversation helps to set us free.
Mentors help both you and me.
We know that role models can show us
Endless possibilities:
Self-determination and communication freedom,
They are a right for you and me.