This section is for bloggers who write about assistive and alternative communication (AAC). Some of the bloggers in this section use AAC themselves and others blog about another person, generally their child, who is the communication user.
Most of the users in this section use AAC as their main communication system, but some use it as a backup communication for when speech or sign or their other main system breaks down. Most of the AAC users have a system which is wholly or partially based on Apple products, usually iPad, iPad Mini or iPhones (since this is an Apple-based blog) but not all of them do.
I have tried to note the types of communication systems used in the entry for each blog.
This page is part of the ATMac links directory.
- AAC and ABCs- Merry Knight writes about her daughter, Elanor, who is two years old and has Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Elanor uses Speak For Yourself on an iPad Mini to communicate.
- Ballastexistenz- Mel Baggs is a thirty-something disabled writer and artist who has multiple disabilities, including autism. She communicates using Proloquo2Go on an iPad, as well as other methods.
- Beth Moulam and LIFE- Beth Moulam is a teenage AAC user who uses a variety of methods to communicate including a Lightwriter SL40 Connect, Alea Eye Gaze and Tablet.
- Brayden's Blog- Brayden is a teen who writes with a letter board using FC. These are the things he writes.
- Building a Village - Kathy Parker- Kathy Parker blogs about her son, Sean, who has Angelman Syndrome. Sean is 10 and has just started using an electronic speech generating device. [Note that this is a multi-author blog, Kathy is just one of the writers there.]
- Caleigh's Corner- Mum Holly blogs eloquently and with gorgeous photography about her daughter Caleigh. Caleigh, 7 years old, has dystonia and uses an iPad and Proloquo2Go for communication.
- Carly's Voice- Carly Fleischmann is diagnosed with autism, oral-motor apraxia and OCD. She is nineteen years old and uses an iPad and Proloquo2Go to communicate.
- Cindi's Blog- Cindi is autistic and communicates using a letter board and RPM. This blog contains her writings.
- Do It Myself Blog- Glenda Watson Hyatt is a motivational speaker who has cerebral palsy. She uses an iPad with the Proloquo4Text and Proloquo2Go apps to aid her communication.
- Earnest To Learn- Joey Lowenstein is a young adult with autism. He communicates using the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) typing onto a letter board or directly onto his iPad.
- Emma's Hope Book- Emma’s Hope Book is a blog written by Emma and her parents, Ariane Zurcher and Richard Long. It began as a document of what her parents thought to be true, but Emma has changed all that. Emma is an autistic teen who communicates using a bluetooth keyboard and iPad, a laminated letter board, and other means.
- Faith, Hope, and Love...With Autism- A blog by Lisa Reyes and her son Philip, who is autistic. Philip is 11 years old and uses the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) with a letter board or with an iPad and the Assistive Express app to communicate.
- Fighting Monsters with Rubber Swords- Rob Rummel-Hudson blogs about his fourteen year old daughter, Schuyler, who has bilateral perisylvian polymicrogyria (PMG). Schuyler's primary AAC devices have been from Prentke Romich Company, the Vantage and then Vantage Light, but she also uses an iPad Mini and the Speak For Yourself app.
- Grace App Blog- Lisa Domican, co-creator of Grace App and mother of Liam and Gracie Domican who both have autism, blogs about Grace App. Her daughter Grace, who uses the app on an iPhone and iPad Mini, is now teenage.
- Havoc in Halifax- Katie Clarke, co-founder of 1Voice-Communicating Together, blogs about her adult daughter Nadia who is an AAC user.
- Ido In Autismland- Ido Kedar is an autistic teenager who communicates using a letter board and an iPad.
- Joy Outside the Box- An anonymous Mama blogs about her daughter, Diva, who is 9. Diva has cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, autism, vision impairments, and medical issues and uses Proloquo2Go on an iPad with a highly customised vocabulary to communicate.
- Junior's Voice- Heidi Thompson blogs about her son Junior, who is 15 and medically fragile. Junior uses Proloquo2Go on an eye pad via partner-assisted eye gaze.
- Kati's Blog- Kati has a progressive form of ataxia and is deaf. She lives in the UK with two gorgeous dogs and uses an iPad and Proloquo2Go to help her communicate.
- Kreed's World- An anonymous Mom blogs about her son, Kreed, who is 16. Kreed has autism and other medical issues and uses a Dynavox T10 to communicate.
- Larry Bissonnette- Larry Bissonnette, featured in documentary Wretches And Jabberers, is an autistic adult. He uses an iPad, usually typing with light physical support, to communicate.
- Life on the Precipice- Stacy blogs about her two year old daughter Cadence or Cady. Cadence has an undiagnosed developmental delay and hypotonia and uses AAC to communicate.
- Lost Voice Guy- Lee Ridley is an adult comedian with cerebral palsy. He uses multiple communication aids including Proloquo2Go and Proloquo4Text on an iPad, and a LightWriter device.
- Mama Reverie- An anonymous Mama blogs about her son, A, who has a rare genetic condition that causes neurological issues including epilepsy. A is three and uses AAC to communicate.
- Maternal Instincts: Flying by the Seat of My Pants- Niksmom blogs about her son, Nik, who was born three months early and is now ten years old. Nik is medically fragile and has autism, cerebral palsy, and an intellectual disability. Nik uses a Vantage Light device and some sign language to communicate.
- Meanwhile on Grace Street- Mothers Julie and Bri blog about their three children, including Asher, 17 months. Asher has a rare chromosome abnormality and autism, and communicates using Speak For Yourself on an iPad Air.
- Non-Speaking Autistic Speaking- Amy Sequenzia is a non-speaking Autistic activist, writer and poet who also has epilepsy and cerebral palsy. She types using Facilitated Communication.
- On the Train with Sophie- A Mom who'd rather remain anonymous blogs about her daughter Sophie, who has Bilateral Perisylvian Polymicrogyria and autism-like symptoms. Sophie, who is four years old, uses Speak For Yourself on an iPad for communication.
- Peyton Goddard- Peyton Goddard is an autistic adult. She communicates using supported typing.
- Roses are Red for Autism- Henry is a 14 year old autistic boy. He uses a letter board with the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) to communicate.
- Sarah With Autism Who Types To Speak- Sarah Stup is an adult writer with autism. She uses typing to communicate.
- Small But Kinda Mighty- Deanne Shoyer has twin boys who are both on the autism spectrum. Her son Owen is 8 and uses Proloquo2Go on an iPad to communicate.
- Star In Her Eye- Heather Kim Lanier blogs about her daughter Fiona, who is preschool age. Fiona is learning to use the Speak For Yourself app on her iPad, and has a 4p- chromosome deletion called Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome (WHS).
- The True Ben Kingston- Ben Kingston is an autistic teen who communicates with the help of a LightWriter and facilitated typing.
- Tracy Thresher- Tracy Thresher, featured in documentary Wretches And Jabberers, is an autistic adult. He uses an iPad, usually typing with light physical support, to communicate.
- Uncommon Sense- Dana blogs about her daughter Maya, six, who has a unique genetic condition. Maya uses an iPad and iPad Mini and the Speak For Yourself application for her communication.
- Understanding Lu- Julie Shaffer blogs about her daughter, Lu, who is four years old. Lu has Rett Syndrome and uses a paper PODD book and a Tobii eye gaze to communicate.
- Yes, That Too!- Alyssa Hillary is an an Autistic graduate student and teaching assistant blogging about a lot of things. She uses eSpeak on a Windows laptop, and Proloquo2Text on an iPad to supplement spoken communication when necessary.
- You Don't Say!- This blog's subheading is "Angelman Syndrome, AAC and everything in between." Mary Kay writes about her adult daughter Jess, who has Angleman Syndrome and uses and iPad and iPad Mini with the Speak For Yourself app for communication.
Know of another site that should be on this list? Please contact me and I’ll add it as soon as possible.
– Ricky
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