Alex

     One of the most important contacts I have made would be Alexandra Da Fonte, associate professor of special education at Vanderbilt University.  She teaches classes for college students that are entering the fields of augmentative and alternative communication, speech language pathology or special education.  Alex was my caregiver between my ages of eleven and sixteen, but she went on to become an important humanitarian in the field.  We are still close friends, and she was the driving force behind my speeches at Vanderbilt.

 

 

I assure you that she does not dress as Velma from Scooby-Doo while teaching her courses!  One of her classes entailed a workshop where I presented information to all of her students in a question and answer format.  Sine AAC methods vary and may be personalized to meet each individual's needs, many forms of AAC include an assistive technology component that ranges from high to low-tech strategies.  An article detailing the politics of the ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) and how AAC technology factors in appears here: http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/technology/220415-communication-technology-opens-doors-for-everyone-not-only.

While I do not expect many readers of my blog to become professors in the field, it should help others empathize with myself and other users of AAC devices.