Language development

Systemic social isolation of AAC users (Blasko, 2024)

May 16, 2025 by David McNaughton

Grant Blasko

Grant Blasko is a young adult nonspeaking autistic student and part of the Summit’s Organizing Committee. He is a University of Washington DO-IT Scholar, an active member of TASH’s National Communication Access Workgroup, and a CommunicationFIRST Advisory Council member. He has served as a stakeholder on panels guiding autism professionals at the American Occupational Therapy Association, CAST, and the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR).

Webcast Description

This presentation was first made at the Future of AAC Research Summit on May 13, 2024.

Please cite as
Blasko, G. (2024, May 13). Systemic social isolation of AAC users. [Conference session]. Future of AAC Research Summit, Arlington, VA. https://tinyurl.com/AAC-Blasko-2024

Video production by Rylie Mueller (Penn State University)

Additional Resources

Blasko, G. (2025). Unveiling underlying systemic isolation challenges for AAC users. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2025.2515279

Blasko, G. (2022). Thoughts from an Autistic AAC User After the April 2022 Meeting of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. https://communicationfirst.org/thoughts-from-an-autistic-aac-user-after-the-april-2022-meeting-of-the-interagency-autism-coordinating-committee/

Blasko, G. (2022). Autism Acceptance … of Communication Stress? https://communicationfirst.org/autism-acceptance–of-communication-stress/

The First Word in Accessibility is ACCESS (Regan, 2024)

November 16, 2024 by David McNaughton

by Patrick Regan

Patrick Regan

Patrick Regan has been an AAC user for more than 27 years. He experiences Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2, and he received his first speech-generating device a few months after his second birthday. Patrick is USSAAC’s President Elect. He is also a member of ISAAC’s LEAD committee. He is employed as a Media Tech Coordinator, and a Senior Media Tech for St. John United Methodist Church in Anchorage, Alaska. And he serves as the Coordinator of Activities and Events, and Co-President for Bridging Communities Through Alternative Communication (“BCTAC”), an adult outreach program of The Bridge School, in Hillsborough, California.

Webcast Description

Patrick describes his experiences in acquiring and using AAC technology. This presentation was first made at the Future of AAC Research Summit on May 14, 2024.

Cite as

Regan, P. (2024, May 14). The first word in accessibility is ACCESS [Conference session]. Future of AAC Research Summit, Arlington, VA. https://tinyurl.com/AAC-Regan-2024

(Transcript as pdf)

Video production by Patrick Regan

Additional Resources

Regan, P. (2023, June 6). Introducing Speak Up! and AACT.

Supporting individuals who need AAC in learning language & literacy (Holyfield et al, 2024)

November 16, 2024 by David McNaughton

Presentation Team

Christine Holyfield, Janice Light, David McNaughton, Dana Nieder, and Jamie Preece

Webcast Description

This presentation was first made at the Future of AAC Research Summit on May 14, 2024.

Cite as
Holyfield, C., Light, J., McNaughton, D., Nieder, D., & Preece, J. (2024, May 14). Supporting individuals who need AAC in learning language & literacy: State of the science, emerging technologies, and future research directions [Conference session]. Future of AAC Research Summit, Arlington, VA. https://tinyurl.com/AAC-Holyfield-et-al-2024

(Transcript as pdf)

Video production by Rebecca Wood (Penn State University)

Additional Resources

Light, J., Barwise, A., Gardner, A. M., & Flynn, M. (2021). Personalized early AAC intervention to build language and literacy skills: A case study of a 3-year-old with complex communication needs. Topics in Language Disorders, 41(3), 209-231.

Patenaude, D., McNaughton, D., & Liang, Z. (2024). Using visual scene displays with young children: An evidence-based practice synthesis. Journal of Special Education Technology, Early on-line.

Literacy and AAC (Williams, 2024)

August 19, 2024 by David McNaughton

Bob Williams

Bob Williams is the Policy Director of CommunicationFIRST, and has advanced the rights and opportunities of children, working age persons and older adults with disabilities for over 40 years by creating community living services, helping to pass the ADA, and administering the federally funded developmental disabilities and independent living networks.

Webcast Description

Bob describes barriers to literacy for people who need and use AAC, and needed actions to address “a nationwide disgrace”.

This presentation was first made at the Future of AAC Research Summit on May 14, 2024.

Please cite as

Williams, B. (2024, May 14). Literacy and AAC. [Conference session]. Future of AAC Research Summit, Arlington, VA. https://tinyurl.com/AAC-Williams-literacy-2024

(Transcript as PDF)

Video production by Dana Patenaude (Penn State University)

Additional Resources

Williams, B. (2024). See us – Hear us. [YouTube video].

Williams, B. (2021). Spelling it out: The ADA and the right to community. [Blogpost]

Williams, B. (2023). Unjustly isolated, silenced, and deprived of literacy and freedom of expression… Remarks to the Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education by CommunicationFIRST Policy Director Bob Williams.

The iPad and mobile technology revolution: Benefits and challenges (McNaughton & Light, 2013)

August 26, 2019 by David McNaughton

McNaughton, D., & Light, J. (2013). The iPad and mobile technology revolution: Benefits and challenges for individuals who require augmentative and alternative communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 29, 107-116.

Free copy available at
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/07434618.2013.784930

Abstract

The iPad and other mobile technologies provide powerful new tools to potentially enhance communication for individuals with developmental disabilities, acquired neurogenic disorders, and degenerative neurological conditions. These mobile technologies offer a number of potential benefits, including: (a) increased awareness and social acceptance of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), (b) greater consumer empowerment in accessing AAC solutions, (c) increased adoption of AAC technologies, (d) greater functionality and interconnectivity, and (e) greater diffusion of AAC research and development. However, there remain a number of significant challenges that must be addressed if these benefits are to be fully realized: (a) to ensure the focus is on communication, not just technology, (b) to develop innovative models of AAC service delivery to ensure successful outcomes, (c) to ensure ease of access for all individuals who require AAC, and, (d) to maximize AAC solutions to support a wide variety of communication functions. There is an urgent need for effective collaboration among key stakeholders to support research and development activities, and to ensure the successful implementation of mobile technologies to enhance communication outcomes for individuals who require AAC and their families.