Mike McGinn, from the Philadelphia area, recently spoke at his graduation using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). This moving video tells the story of how he developed Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) which impacted his ability to speak. Mike uses Proloquo2Go to communicate and used it to speak at the graduation.
This story shows the importance of communication and the power of AAC. I am thankful to be in this field and to have been able to have co-created something that is making a difference. Here for the video.
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Today, the phone rang and it was the mother of a former student saying that her son had something he would like to say to me. I listened and he said, “hi, Mr. Sennott.” This seemingly ordinary event was far from it, for I have never heard that student speak that greeting to me before. The student has an autism spectrum disorder and while he has learned to communicate utilizing various forms of AAC, he has struggled to develop speech. His mother has been messaging me lately with updates about how he has been using the iPad in various ways to communicate and engage with curriculum content. I have been delighted to hear the good reports. Yet, I was unprepared to hear him speak those words.
I recall speaking with his mother on numerous occasions saying to appreciate what AAC offers, but to also know that individuals can acquire speech quite late. I shared anecdotes about some of the people I first worked with at the Respite Center in Hopkinton and how their families reported to me about how late they started speaking. (I remember being in awe hearing about how one friend of mine there had started speaking so late, as she was one of the most loquacious people I know.) Despite my hope and belief that this former student would speak, it still came as quite a wonderful surprise to receive that phone call today. It was truly like music to my ears. Occasionally, I have vivid dreams that some of my students with complex communication needs who use AAC to express themselves communicate to me using speech. I have heard of other teachers experiencing the same thing. Today, that dream cam true.
Fortunately, parents, teachers, and therapists do not have to choose between promoting speech and AAC. It is a well established finding that AAC does not hinder the development of speech. There are some terrific reviews of the relevant research:
Binger, C., Berens, J., Kent-Walsh, J., & Taylor, S. (2008). The effects of aided AAC interventions on AAC use, speech, and symbolic gestures. Seminars in Speech and Language, 29(2), 101-11.
Millar, D. C., Light, J. C., & Schlosser, R. W. (2006). The Impact of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Intervention on the Speech Production of Individuals With Developmental Disabilities: A Research Review. Journal of Speech Language Hearing Research, 49(2), 248-264.
Schlosser, R. W., & Wendt, O. (2008). Effects of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Intervention on Speech Production in Children With Autism: A Systematic Review. American Journal of Speech Lang Pathology, 17(3), 212-230.
Language and communication are tremendously powerful things. I am thankful we have ways to wield them such as speech, sign language, writing, and other forms of AAC, such as using iPads and iPods with AAC software.
Sennott to Focus on Research, Sells Share in Proloquo2Go
June 3, 2010
Amsterdam, The Netherlands; State College, PA
Dear Proloquo2Go user, community member, and/or Proloquo2Go partner,
Samuel Sennott, co-creator of Proloquo2Go, is selling his share in Proloquo2Go to AssistiveWare in order to focus his research and development efforts on his PhD at The Pennsylvania State University and on his new company, Sennott Technologies, LLC.
Proloquo2Go has made a large impact on the AAC world over the two years of the collaboration between AssistiveWare and Sennott Consulting. When they came together almost two years ago, they believed they could make a difference by creating a new AAC solution that was powerful, affordable, and cool. From the amazing user community, to a front-page feature in the NY Times, Proloquo2Go has had a profound impact.
While Sennott will not continue to be a part of Proloquo2Go, he will remain fully committed to the AAC community, serving through his research and future endeavors. He has full confidence that AssistiveWare will continue to provide great service as well as many further enhancements to Proloquo2Go that will benefit the Proloquo2Go community.
David and AssistiveWare would like to use this occasion to thank Sam for the important contributions he has made to Proloquo2Go and, not in the least, his success in drawing public attention to the needs of AAC users. With his ongoing research, he will be able to make even more contributions to the field of AAC in the future. Let us all give Sam a big thank you and wish him well in his further pursuits.
Samuel Sennott would like to specially thank David Niemeijer for the amazing work we did together. He would also like to thank his father, mother, family, Deirdre, Joseph Barnick, Pam H., Sue M., Mads, the Penn State community, The DC Crew, TLC, Origin Instruments, Apple Inc. and the whole Proloquo2Go community for their support.
Best wishes,
David and Sam
Patty Cassidy, or Patty the conqueror as she has been come to have been known by, has been battling breast cancer. On Thanksgiving, I got a call from Caroline Ramsey Musselwhite telling me that our friend Patty had passed away early that morning. I first met Patty at Closing the Gap and then she later was my professor in AAC at the Simmons assistive technology masters program. I remember her passion for the individuals she taught to communicate. When she showed her videos of her students, I remember seeing someone who simply loved and believed in her students. She has been a beautiful model to me. One of the things that she made a point to teach me personally was the importance of modeling language. Not so ironically, I have been engaged in an in-depth literature review of the practice of modeling in AAC. As I re-work that study into a submission to a publication, I will do it in memory of our friend Patty. While I only knew Patty for the last few years, she was one of the friends I have met in the AAC world who I look up to the most. Maybe it was because she was so down to earth or maybe it was because she was so nice to me, or maybe it was that we looked at AAC so similarly, whatever the reason, we were friends and I will miss her. It made me smile when I heard about the true extent of the support she has had. One can only wish for friends and family like that in life. Special prayers go out to her three children.
Patty, We love you and celebrate you, our friend
…the President of The Pennsylvania State University, Graham Spanier, that is.
Penn State Board of Trustees meets; President Spanier’s remarks
Friday, July 10, 2009 12th Paragraph Down about Proloquo2Go and Samuel Sennott
Seriously, being a PhD student at The Pennsylvania State University is one of the most fantastic experiences of my life. The individuals I am surrounded by are simply phenomenal. From four AAC faculty to experts in Special Education, Psychology, and Computer Science, to the amazing students in the programs I am connected to, it is simply terrific to be here. Reading Dr. Graham Spanier’s remarks about the work I am doing and my place in the Penn State community made me smile even wider.
I know how lucky I am in all of this. I will take these opportunities being presented to me and work as hard, smart, and long as I can to serve individuals with special needs, as well as their families and the people who support them.
Lately, in such a good way, I feel pulled in so many directions, keeping family first, new friends, p2g, and last but not least, the PhD. With so much data coming at you, it can be hard to keep the ax sharp. Yet, there are times when someone tells you something and it pulls things right back into focus. When Kara, one of the first Proloquo2Go users messaged me tonight, it reminded me that I became a teacher because I care and because I like being part of a community. This was Kara’s response to my message commenting on how cool it is that both her and her son use and benefit from Proloquo2Go, on the iPhone and iPod touch respectively. Much thanks to Kara for letting me tell the story here. To me, things like this are my motivation for being a teacher.
….yeah, it’s something he and I can do together.
-Kara
In case something was needed to help get me up in the morning…
Seeing this video of Schuyler and her family totally made me smile.
It also reminded me of when my very young students got a couple Tango loaners in the mail and they couldn’t get past how very cool all the bubble wrap was that they came packed in! So we talked with the Tangos about bubble wrap. 
