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Hear MY Voice-Language Through AAC is a non-profit established to equip individuals to promote the development of language through Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) for children and adults who do not have a voice of their own. This organization uses iPads with specialized communication software applications during experiential training. These training experiences allow caregivers, therapists, educators and any other individuals attending the training to receive hands on experience on a variety of communication programs. The hands-on approach helps them become comfortable with using the technology and how to model it for their child, patient, or student.
These specialized communication applications must be purchased from software companies for installation on iPads. Application licenses of 3 different applications will be purchased with this grant and these licenses may be used on multiple devices to maximize their impact:
- LAMP Words for Life $300
- Tobii Dynavox Snap +Core First $180
- Saltillo Touch Chat $300
Each training course may have as many as 25 participants, and when those participants are educators and therapists, they may in turn utilize the training for the children and young adults they serve. In this way, each course of 25 participants may impact 20-70+ individuals per year from here forward. Each parent and caregiver will impact the child they are responsible for and additional families that they mentor or provide peer guidance to based on experiences that they have faced with their child/children. As the practice of immersion into AAC is put into practice, the impact will have returns for years and years to come. The impact will also be felt as children and young adults will develop a meaningful way to communicate.
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