The coronavirus pandemic has had a big impact on people who cannot speak and their families. In this video we discuss the impact of the pandemic on AAC use and AAC users and their families. We will look at how the pandemic has exposed many weaknesses in AAC provisioning and services. Finally, we look at possible solutions to these problems. It is important that we reduce vulnerabilities and improve services.
In the video we will explore issues such as:
- a dramatic drop in AAC use
- speech therapists without access to AAC devices for teletherapy
- the reliance on AAC assessments for AAC provisioning
- the economic fragility of families with children with disabilities
We will provide examples, present data and share insights from social media and interviews.
This video is for anyone who cares about AAC and AAC users. The video provides food for thought for professionals and parents alike. We also hope that AAC users will find the video useful as a source of material to support self-advocacy.
This video is based on a presentation by AssistiveWare’s CEO David Niemeijer and Special Education Specialist Erin Sheldon. It was originally presented at the Closing The Gap Virtual Conference 2020.