By Jack McGraw, PRC-Saltillo Ambassador
My AAC device has opened a world full of independence and opportunities for me. Because of my cerebral palsy, I can hardly control my speech to talk understandably, and cannot control my hands and arms to write and use a computer the typical ways that abled-bodied people do. Fortunately, I have much better control of my eye muscles, so I use my Accent 1400 device with eye tracking. Before I was introduced to eye tracking at 13 years old, I accessed my device by pressing two switches with my head which was very tedious and frequently gave me headaches. I am pretty sure that I would not be as successful as I am if I was still using switches.
I use eye tracking technology to utilize my AAC device to talk to others, participate in classes, complete homework and write papers, access the internet, and much more. Because of eye tracking, I am able to be as independent in all of the realistic ways that I can achieve independence. My AAC device is allowing me to seriously pursue my aspirations to become a substance abuse and mental health therapist. I am so blessed to have access to an AAC device and eye tracking technology. They have unlocked a world full of opportunities for me to live a fruitfully virtuous life committed to serving other people. If I did not have an AAC device or even eye tracking technology, it would be extremely challenging for me to communicate. Access to communication is imperative for all of us as human beings because we are social creatures who were created to live in community with one another which entails that we need to be able to effectively communicate with each other to live physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually healthy lives.
To sum up, my AAC device and eye tracking technology has truly allowed me to lead an ordinary life despite my physical challenges. Earning my bachelor’s degree in psychology with minors in theology and Catholic Studies from Benedictine University was almost completely dependent on me using my AAC device via eye tracking technology in terms of how it was physically completed. Now, I am still in college working towards earning my Certificate in Alcohol and Drug Counseling (CADC) at Elgin Community College and am a fully engaged student because my AAC device and eye tracking technology assist me in fully cultivating my engagement in an adaptive way.
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Communicators In Action - eye tracking, independence, mental health