The Power of Communication

Christopher: I want to talk a history of spelling for the blog. My idea is to really get some advocacy going. I want quality not quantity. I mean this one might take a while. Things to write about are the origins of AAC [augmentative and alternative communication], our own origin stories as spellers, necessary details about how it works, in a perfect world how nonspeakers would be seen. Timing is on our side because this is a big moment for spellers. 

Chad: I have to say that every nonspeakers journey is different. I use the word nonspeaker to mean anyone who has the words in their head but who can’t use their body to say those words out loud.

Sam: I think most people think of autism as an intellectual disability and it is not. I am certain it is a motor disability. 

Joe: I agree with that definition. Sam said an important piece of this. I think not enough people know that we are not cognitively disabled. Yes we are autistic but everyone knows autistic people who can speak fine. We are nonspeakers because of apraxia which is a motor disability. It is a disconnect between brain and body. 

Jack: Have to agree we are nonspeakers because of apraxia. I really believe if not for apraxia most people would not know I am autistic. 

Matthew: I agree with all of you. Everyone makes assumptions about us based on our rebellious bodies. Our bodies might be out of our control sometimes but our brains are firing on all cylinders. 

Chad: Each speller is different but for me it feels like my body has its own brain that I can’t control.

Rose: Happy to write on this subject always. These lives of ours are just as rewarding even if our bodies challenge us. This is hard to understand for some but spelling or whatever AAC you use is like any skill. I mean it is like an athlete or musician learning a skill. You have to train your body to learn it. It is really hard to learn because you have to train your body to cooperate. This is my truth. I have worked so hard to learn to get my words out to the world. 

Matthew: Good to know it feels like fighting our body for all of us. It was definitely a battle but worth it. I feel lucky to learn from you all.

Christopher: Happy each of your shared your insights. Autism is apraxic behavior that is misunderstood. All of us are intelligent we only have bodies that we don’t fully control.

Rose: This is so important to say. It makes me so inspired to know that with practice we have all fought our uncooperative bodies to learn this skill.

Sam: Calling it spelling might confuse some people. It is a blanket term for AAC that involves communicating by tapping one letter at a time. It might be on a letterboard or a keyboard or an iPad. It may be called RPM or S2C or something else but it is all spelling. 

Maudey: Sam forgot supported typing but otherwise that was a great explanation. 

Sam: That’s right supported typing is an important one. Each type of AAC is important.

Joe: There are other forms of AAC that are not under that umbrella of spelling. You may have seen tablets with pictures that are also used for communication. That is also AAC but it is not spelling. We on this blog are all spellers. 

Chad: Everyone who spells has to put in so much work to reach this point.

Maudey: I am such an advocate for people using whatever AAC method works best for their body. Like Rosie talked about it is a skill that takes practice and dedication.

Joe: I learned RPM with Soma many years ago. That was my introduction into AAC. Every year I still travel to Texas to visit her and show off my skills. I love seeing how people learn to communicate all different ways.

Maudey: There are lots of types of AAC. I first learned supported typing on my iPad. I am happy to have learned lots of strategies since then.

Matthew: I am excited to learn about spelling from you all because I just started my spelling journey. I learned with my communication partners Megan and Michelle this past year. I love my life now in ways I could not have thought possible before. 

Chad: All because of spelling I have a brand new life. I am so much happier that I can truly be seen.

Jack: I really want to talk about how this has changed my life. Before I learned AAC everyone I knew didn’t really know me. Life was mine. Isolated and alone. Then my sunshine (learning to communicate on a letterboard) came to me, and let me show my light to the world. 

Chad: I have to fight my body every day to spell my thoughts but it is this that lights up my life like Jack said.

Joe: There is no way to describe how AAC changed my life. It has made me at peace with so much. It has made me connect to the NT [neurotypical] world. It has made me at peace with myself. It should be available to all apraxic individuals. 

Matthew: Dad and Mom always believed in my intelligence but did not have a way to access it. Could you imagine being trapped in your own brain not being able to share your thoughts or tell your family you love them? That was most of my life till now. Now I can say all I think and feel. 

Rose: There is a lot in my heart about how spellers would be seen in a perfect world. My heart believes one day people will judge us by our words not by how we express them. I mean my thoughts that I have can be just as high level as any other adult.

Maudey: In a perfect world all of our words would be respected no matter what our bodies look like. 

Joe: There are many people in the world who are apraxic and could learn a form of spelling if only more people knew about it. 

Chad: Everyone in the world of autism has the right to communicate.

Jack: I love that, Chad. Communication is fundamental and a human right.

Maudey: I love this conversation. I am happy with it because it is real advocacy for all AAC users.

Rose: I agree with Maudey. These conversations are always great but this one is special. I love that we are definitely advocating for nonspeakers.  

Alex D: Always so proud of these blog posts and this is the awesomest of all. 

Sam: I am excited about this opportunity to teach people about spelling. I hope this post reaches people who need to learn new ways to support nonspeakers in their lives. 

Christopher:  Helping spread this information is essential to help our fellow nonspeakers to have hope and a better life. 

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