Speakup Blog
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*Views and opinions expressed by authors of SpeakUp! blogs are their own and do not reflect official views and opinions of USSAAC.
USSAAC's Disaster Preparedness and Response Committee Responds to Saipan
Residents of Saipan and Tinian, part of the Northern Mariana Islands (a territory of the United States), were severely impacted by Super Typhoon Sinlaku. Many families faced power outages, displacement, and disruption to essential supports. Loss of reliable electricity meant...
Belonging at AAC Camp, Zeno Mountain Farm
The Zeno Mountain Farm program was developed as part of a USSAAC Amplifying AAC Voices mini grant submitted by Dr.Kimberly Ho.
When Professor Ho reached out about the AAC camp, I signed up right away. I didn’t know what to expect. She shared that it was her first time...
Q&A: Adequate and Necessary Information to Support Speech-Generating Device Funding Requests
This SpeakUp! blog addresses questions posed to Lewis Golinker, Esquire, USSAAC's former Advocacy Director, about the development of adequate and necessary information to support speech-generating device (SGD) funding requests. This is a condensed version of Lew's response...
The AAC Peer Support Project: Guidelines for the Prioritization of AAC Users in Group Discussions
The AAC Peer Support Project emerged from funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, implemented through a contract between the Association…
The Importance of Communication: A Personal Journey
My name is Esther Klang. I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I am a 30-year-old woman who has faced numerous significant challenges since becoming a quadriplegic with shallow breathing, a tracheostomy, and vocal cord paralysis. This results in me having nonstandard speech and having...
Spreading the Importance of Enhancing Communication Access
Yoo Sun Chung, Jamie Gibbs, Dana Lopez, and Tracy Rackensperger presented during the Breaking Barriers: Fostering Communication Access and Awareness (Insights from ISAAC Cancun) session at the Vibes of AAC Virtual event in October. The session was designed with three key...
Celebrate AAC Awareness Month This Year
New SpeakUp! blog post on an AAC awareness campaign funded by USSAAC mini grant program.
AAC Peer Support Models
Bob Williams and Lateef McLeod describe an initiative on peer support models for people who use AAC
Grief & Communication
Mike Hipple shares his personal story of realizing how grief affects his communication and recommendations for professionals on how to support people who use AAC with grief and loss.
USSAAC Leaders & Legends: Lew Golinker
Today we honor, Lew Golinker! As an attorney and advocate, Lew Golinker has been instrumental in advocating for funding of speech-generating devices for people who use AAC in the United States. He was a key figure in the development of the funding mechanism for...
