During AAC Awareness Month, what are some things you are willing to instruct people more about the AAC community or about yourself as a person who uses AAC?
by Lyle Bahe, PRC-Saltillo Ambassador
Lyle : I use an accent 1400 with eye gaze. This is my communication device, it helps me talk.
Therapist: Do you like people trying to read what you have to say or do you like people waiting until you give your full response?
Lyle: Yes
Therapist: Which one?
Lyle: Wait
Therapist: Do you like when people ask you two questions or do you want things broken down into just one question?
Lyle: Two
Therapist: Do you think people interrupt you frequently without giving you the proper amount of time to get your answer out?
Lyle: Yes
Therapist: How does that make you feel?
Lyle: I’m little mad
Therapist:In the moment when people are trying to interrupt or talk for you what is something that you can say?
Lyle: Wait
Therapist: Wait for what?
Lyle: Wait me talk
Therapist: What's the hardest part of using AAC in daily life?
Lyle: I feel frustrated explain people
Therapist: Explaining what?
Lyle: It hard explain stuff
Therapist: So people not understanding what you are trying to say?
Lyle: Yes
Therapist:Do you like when people then clarify what you were trying to say?
Lyle: Yes
Therapist: How do you want people to treat you when you are communicating with AAC?
Lyle: Me normal
Therapist:What’s something about yourself, beyond AAC that you’d like people to know?
Lyle: I like teasing people (therapist POV: he is super witty and will tease about anything!!)
Therapist:Is it hard for people to understand when you are using humor or sarcasm because there is no inflection in the voice of the device?
Lyle: 50/50 yes and no
Therapist:Is it tiring to use the device because of the amount of focus you need throughout the day?
Lyle: No, I have strong eyes
Therapist: You’re just a pro.
Lyle: Yes
Therapist:How long have you had this device?
Lyle: Wow long time school
Therapist:Did you get your first eye gaze in middle school?
Lyle: No, later.
Therapist: It was around high school?
Lyle: Yes
Therapist: Was it this current device?
Lyle: No, eco2
Therapist: When you got this current device did you find it hard to use or easy?
Lyle: Middle practice
Therapist: What’s one way this device has allowed you to express yourself?
Lyle: I like communication
Therapist: Why?
Lyle: Me help myself talk people
Therapist: Yes, it allows you to communicate with lots of people. To wrap it up, what's one message you would like to share with everyone during AAC awareness month?
Lyle:People try talk explain
Therapist: Are you wanting people to try and understand how communication devices work?
Lyle: People work communication device
Therapist: Your device recently broke and had no icons, how did that impact everything and make you feel?
Lyle: I feel frustrated mad me not talk people. Not do anything. stuck.
Therapist: I would feel frustrated too. When you got the icons back, was it an easy adjustment to people having to read without the voice output?
Lyle: yes
Therapist: Does it take longer to communicate?
Lyle: no
Therapist: Going back to the question on one message you would like to share with everyone during this month, what is that message?
Lyle: I did talk Allie Jane (SLP) I had trouble group home me stand up tell (advocating and standing up for yourself with the device).
Therapist: So you wish you could advocate better for yourself with this device?
Lyle: yes practice
* We are working on advocating and problem-solving often and putting together different phrases or words to say to help bridge the communication gap
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