The politics of speaking with an automated A.A.C. voice
As a person who has used an A.A.C. device for most of my life I have become used to speaking with a computerized, automated voice. So when I encounter people in public, they barely hear my natural voice since I cannot speak words eligibly due to my cerebral palsy. People then identify my voice with the voice of the A.A.C. device, which poses a few political and philosophical questions. For example, is my voice tied to A.A.C....
A Talk with Samuel Sennott, Co-creator of Proloquo2go
A couple of weeks ago I had a pleasure and opportunity to interview Samuel Sennott, the co-creator of one of the first Augmentative Alternative Communication (A.A.C.) apps, Proloquo2Go. Mr. Sennott, an assistant professor at Portland State University, expounds upon in our interview how he entered the A.A.C. field, the story behind developing Proloquo2Go, and what he thinks the future of A.A.C. technology will be. Please view our...
Check out Lateef McLeod’s poem: “I am alright.”
This video illustrates how I communicate proficiently and effectively with an A.A.C. device. In the content of the poem “I am Alright” I also clearly define what I am capable of. This capacity that people who use A.A.C. have to lead full and productive lives is one of the main themes of my Making Contact radio segment in September. Here is a video of me reciting a poem on my...
Why focus on the normally under represented community of A.A.C. in the media?
As I prepare for my show for Making Contact on the public view of people who use A.A.C., I would like to comment on why covering the under represented A.A.C. community in the media is so important. People who use A.A.C., especially those who have both speech disabilities and mobility disabilities, are very marginalized in our society and thus do not get profiled in our media too much except when we are seen as victims or as doing...
What is Augmentative Alternative Communication?
Since I have a severe speech disability because of my cerebral palsy I cannot communicate effectively using my own oral voice and as result use an Augmentative Alternative Communication or A.A.C. device to communicate. An A.A.C. technology aid is any device, either electronic or non-electronic that is used to transmit or receive messages for those who cannot do so vocally. There are two types of A.A.C., low-tech and high-tech. For...
