Top Episodes with AAC Users
Hannah Foley:
Episode 113: Full-Time AAC User & Future AAC Specialist
We have the privilege of presenting Rachel’s interview with Hannah Foley, a senior at University of Illinois who is pursuing a career in Assistive Technology & AAC. Hannah has cerebral palsy and is an incredible adult AAC user who works as an ambassador for Saltillo!
Chris Klein:
Episode 28: Why Does Motor Planning Matter in AAC?
Chris Klein is an educator, mentor, past president of the United States Society of Augmentative Alternative Communication (USSAAC), and founder of Building Connections with Others through Mentoring and Education about AAC (BeCOME AAC). Mr. Klein, an AAC user himself, is a voice for AAC users and individuals with disabilities everywhere; his thoughtful insights on motor planning are not to be missed!
Carson Covey:
Episode 130: AAC User & Future SLP
Carson Covey is a social media manager & AAC mentor at Jill Tullman & Associates, ambassador with PRC, and AAC user. Carson shares about changing his AAC system to TouchChat; the importance of having his circle of support use his device; updating AAC devices when sheltering at home; and going to school to become an SLP!
Lance McLemore:
Episode 69: Learning to Become a Proficient AAC User
Chris interviews PRC Ambassador and AAC user Lance McLemore. In Lance’s role as Ambassador, he attends conferences and speaks to different groups about his experiences using Lamp Words for Life. The interview is played in real time so our listeners can hear how quickly he accesses his device – it’s amazing! Lance shares how he taught himself to use Lamp Words for Life, how practice has helped him improve his rate, and why he believes motor planning is so important to using an AAC device successfully!
Alyssa Hillary Zisk:
Episode 78: Adults With Autism Who Use AAC Part-Time
Alyssa is a graduate student in neuroscience who shares their experiences as an autistic adult who uses AAC part of the time to communicate.
Episode 110: Experiences of a Part-Time AAC User Researching and Writing About AAC
Alyssa Hillary Zisk is an Autistic adult who is a “part-time AAC user” and a previous guest of the pod! Part-time AAC users have the ability to communicate verbally, but there are times when verbal speech is difficult and non-verbal communication is preferred.
Kevin Williams & Lateef McLeod:
Episode 137: Black AAC User Perspectives on Racism and Disability
This week, Kevin Williams and Lateef McLeod share about racism and ableism from their perspective as Black AAC users. Kevin Williams is a freelance web developer and the Chief Technical Officer of USSAC. Lateef is a PHD Candidate in the Anthropology and Social Change program at California Institute of Integral Studies, Vice President of ISSAC’s LEAD Committee, and published poet/author. In the interview, Kevin and Lateef discuss the importance of having difficult conversations about racism and ableism, the intersection of race and disability in their own life, and the importance of patience, especially from the police, when communicating with AAC users.
Eva Sweeney
Episode 21: Consultant for ABC's Speechless, Author, Activist, AAC User
In this episode Eva Sweeney, filmmaker and consultant for ABC's Speechless - as well as author, activist, AAC user, and overall dynamo - talks with Rachel and Lucas about her AAC device, the importance of aides (and giving them breaks), her work as an activist on sexuality in the disability community, and more. Meanwhile, Lucas briefly flies solo to talk about the importance of a whole-person approach to AAC assessment and intervention - and our work generally.
Lydia Dawley
Episode 164: AAC User, CEO, and Co-Creator of the NadPen Stylus
TWT presents Rachel’s interview with Lydia Dawley, the CEO of the Click, Speak, Connect, and co-creator of the NadPen, an amazing stylus device that is easy to grip and use, especially for people with motor challenges. Lydia has mixed cerebral palsy and is a fantastic AAC user - you won’t want to miss her perspective on involving AAC users in decisions, choosing AAC vocabulary, incorporating peers as communication partners, and more!
Chris Sawka
Episode 165: AAC User & USSAAC Committee Member
We interview AAC user, USSAAC Membership Committee member, artist, and TWT superfan Chris Sawka! Chris provides great insights into some of the challenges and victories he has had as a full-time AAC user, how he socializes with other AAC users, playing sports on a paraolympic team, and more!
Brittany Dube
Episode 176: Author, YouTuber, and Part-Time AAC User
Rachel has an informative and engaging interview with author, YouTuber, dog trainer, and part time AAC user Brittany Dube! Brittany shares about why she is a part-time AAC user, how parents and others can better support part-time AAC users, and how we can show AAC users the respect they deserve in conversation.
Codi & Jennifer Mendenhall
Episode 151: Using Social Media and Making Videos as a Teen AAC User
TWT presents Chris and Rachel’s interview with Codi Mendenhall, a 14-year-old who has been using AAC since she was 5, and her mother Jennifer Mendenhall.
Codi and Jennifer share about Codi’s journey learning to use AAC, the ways that Codi uses texting and social media to communicate with her peers, how to facilitate more communication opportunities for AAC users, and more!