Hearing the Whispers

Recently, I had a great conversation with an insightful SLP/AT specialist about how to best help professionals who just seem more committed to being right than to helping students with AAC needs succeed. It’s a complex issue, to be sure, with no quick fixes or easy answers (as all of you know). But sitting there on her roof deck, watching the waves, and sipping some New Zealand wine did inspire us to find one small piece of the puzzle.
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It’s about vision. Not the sensory type of vision, but the imagination type of vision. As in envisioning the possibilities. A vision of successful implementation. A peek into ‘what could be’ for the children and adults we serve. Something we don’t get enough of.
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Seeing examples of good AAC and AT implementation is inspiring. Not only do they give us hope, but they imbue a sense of urgency. They whisper “If those people can do it, then so can I.” They prod us: “If those people are doing it, then so should I.”
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And so, we present the voices of Kerri Huddleston and others on the Assistive Technology Team from Washoe County (via the Don Johnston website). Hear the whispers and feel the prods. This team seems to be telling us something.