#communication device

[turtley-ausome]

My She-Ra pop up folder in Proloquo2go! It a work in progress! The 2 grey buttons in bottom right corner have recorded audio of those lines from the show! I love adding special intrest pages to my AAC!

[charlottism]

Getting AAC Device From Insurance

I got my dedicated device almost a year ago! Here’s how I got it.

Went to doctor and got referred to the assistive technology department at local rehab. I had already been using AAC full time for a long time due to total speech regression (diagnosed as apraxia of speech), and was in speech therapy to try to regain vocal words but it was not working at all.

I had an idea evaluation with a SLP and OT specifically who worked with AAC and got to trial a device. I had been using Proloquo2Go but decided with trial that touchchat with word power is better for me.

They handled the rest of the paperwork and got stuff from my doctor. Unfortunately my insurance changed in this time so there was a lot of delay. Also the original company I was going to go with insurance was being a pain, so I went with AbleNet

Once I switched to getting my device with AbleNet it only took a few weeks to get my device and they kept me updated the whole time!

Now that I have my device if I ever have issues or want to change the app I use or even change iPad size I can at any time for 5 years! I’ve found the company really good to work with.

[archerjay2019]

I Autistic

Autistic Me

Autism inside me

my blood

my bones

my soul

Autism isn't a coat

I can't take it off

I can't be someone else

Autism is all of me

I rock

I flap

I stim

my ways

My life

My world

Me

Autistic

All of me

Autistic

Proud

Happy

Autistic Me

[clownrecess]

I want to talk about all the little attachments and details on my AAC device!

The main way that I communicate is with my device. The one I currently use is a high tech AAC device made out of an android tablet and the app Avaz. Attached to my device are a few little things, some of which might not seem too important, but all of them are actually very important to me!

Attached to my strap are my chewmoji communication cards. I got them a few years ago. Whilst I mainly use my device to communicate, and it is very useful and easy for me, sometimes my chewmojis are easier for communicating simple emotions. They get the most use when I am regressed and/or when I have low spoons. They are very easy for me to use, because I can just flip through them and find the one that looks like how I feel! They are also chewable, which is helpful if I am having a difficult time and need oral sensory input. I don't use them very often for chewing, I usually use my chewy pendants for that, but its useful to have the option just in case. (In case anyone is wondering, yes, I wash them frequently! Even when I havent chewed on them I still clean them often.)

On my strap are my pins. I currently have two pins on my strap, but I would like to also get one that says something like "I'm autistic".

The blue pin on my strap is for safety and convenience purposes. It says "I hear + understand but don't speak". I need this pin because often times people won't understand that I am nonspeaking, and so they will become confused or even frustrated with me.

The other pin is for comfort purposes. It is a pin of a red converse shoe, and my best friend in the entire world gave it to me.

[nonspeakingkiku]

Lighting not good in here right now but Accent!! Kiku and wifey watching Supernatural.

Kiku needs more stim toys and fiddly things to put on accent but not sure what to put on it. ID: an accent 1000 (a windows based communication device) with a red frame, a transparent keyguard, and lamp vi open on it. En ID

Oh and here's stickers on the back that Kiku made (printed and packing tape, some were gonna go on ipad but wouldn't stick so went on accent).

ID: the back of the accent with seven different stickers on it, from left to right: "Being nonspeaking does not mean I have nothing to say", "Not being able to speal does not mean the same as not having anything to say", a red triangle shaped tactile symbol, a strabby from bugsnax, a multicolor hand print with the words special needs under it, a white tactile symbol, and a rainbow infinity symbol. End ID

[emotionally-confused-alienheavy]

Ooh! What is this?

It is not a ‘what’, it is a ‘who’, Kesha. They are clearly alive.

Oh, Genya, he is trying.

*turning to Alien Heavy*

Friend, what is your name?

-@emotionally-intense-heavy (Misha) -@physically-toned-heavy (Kesha) -@mentally-capable-heavy (Genya)

The Alien stared at the 3, looking visibly distraught and confused through it’s big eyes while red ooze continued to drip down it’s face. He didn’t understand what the 3 had said, but he still tried to communicate.

“Zeegle zooble, meebo meep baim.” It tried to communicate through the only language it knew. Though it wasn’t clear if the 3 Heavys understood it, even so he still tried his best.

[crashlanding-heavy]

[Mimic doesn't remember the last time they had something to eat. Perhaps that was what caused them to leave the comfort of their small garden in favor of quietly strolling through the RED base walls.]

[They held a kettle in one gloved hand, balancing three tea cups in the other. Their steps were slow and soft, softened by the bottom of their boots which were intended for stealth.]

[Their eyes were downcast as they turned the corner, stepping down the hallway that opened into the kitchen. Maneuvering the items they held as they lifted their eyes up to make sure they didn't bump into anything, or anyone for that matter, as they stepped into the kitchen.]

(- @emotionally-defeated-mimic )-

The Alien froze in surprise like a deer in headlights, dropping one of Demo’s Scrumpy bottles. Glass shards scattering across the kitchen floor.

Hearing the glass bottle shatter made the Alien’s crooked antennas twitch.

It slowly faced Mimic. The Alien’s shoulders were still raised, but eventually the Alien loosened up.

It studied the human who walked in on it stealing from the freezer.

[alex2xander]

Be nice and don't mock tumblr users that communicate differently.

Examples:

1.) Typing quirks

2.) No punctuation

3.) Random Capitalisation

4.) Long run on sentences

5.) Frequently misspelled words

6.) Missing spaces between words

7.) Repeating words and sentences

8.) Posts audios and videos instead of typing

9.) Express themselves through custom emojis

10.) Use an AAC (Augmentative and alternative communication) device

Some users have intellectual disabilities, use speech to text, struggle with grammar, have hand tremmers, have high support needs, etc.

Regardless of how they communicate and their reason why, they still deserve respect. They are trying their best.

[schemelin]

More of my Lone Wanderer!

[turtley-ausome]

do people take your aac seriously or do they tell you to use your words bc I usually get told that

Most people take it serios but some dont like the rec therapist where I live was once like “oh no, not today just talk just talk okay it’s way quicker” and it made me upset! Also my old speech therapist was NOT pro-AAC wich made me not comfy at all. I use AAC full time.

[charlottism]

Added a new page with some phrases I commonly use on my device so I don’t have to type them out or search for the buttons! I have such a mental block for editing my AAC but I should do it more because I’m happy when I do!

[jasper-stims]

Plain Text below the cut!

AAC Tip of the Day:

Patience is Key!

When communicating with someone who uses AAC, it's important to be patient and give the person adequate time to respond.

Communicating with AAC requires more time than speaking / using mouth words. Don't interrupt while the AAC user formulates their thoughts.

And Remember - the amount of time it takes to communicate with AAC is not an indicator of the person's ability to think and understand!

NWACS

www.nwacs.info

www.nwacs.info

[clownrecess]

How I communicate besides my device (Tw for mentions of shutdowns and catatonia)

I want to talk about how I communicate. Obviously, I use my AAC device for the most part, but I communicate in other ways too, depending on how coinvent it is.

A few minutes ago, my mother told me she was going to Mcdonalds to get a Capuchino, and asked if I wanted a Frappuccino, so I nodded, and then stretched my arms upward to show that I wanted a large one. This is one of the ways I communicate, body language and gestures. Gestures are really useful for me, because if I am communicating a simple idea, such as "I want a large Frappuccino", it is faster than using my device.

I also make noises. If someone is doing something to me that I don't like, I might make a noise that people associate with "no", such as "Mm-mm", or "Mhm" if I am saying yes. Someone touching my device without consent? Making a noise that means no, and pulling away is a good way I communicate that they need to stop.

I also type, because sometimes typing is a better option than my device. For example if I am currently in a catatonic state due to a shutdown, it is a lot easier for me to type a few simple words like "I go now, hurt" in my phone, rather than finding those buttons on my device.

And guess what? Everything I just described is a form of AAC!

AAC is more than just high tech devices like mine. AAC is also gestures, noises, typing, communication cards, pointing, etc.

[nonspeakingkiku]

Oh! Update! A friend of Kiku's helped get the Accent so even though we didn't reach the gofundme goal we got the accent! It help lot lot, much louder and have a tactile keyguard for it. And we got Speak for Yourself. Apparently the people who made it sent us a code for it like two year ago but it went to spam and we didn't know. We didn't find out until we tried contacting them again. But no we have it. 😋 Its suprising been really great for us to use and we've been using it consistantly (or adding words to it) since we got it.