This last episode in the series is right in step with how all good things should conclude and that is with a bit of fun. You are about to listen in on a conversation with plenty of laughter and bad jokes that I had with a man who has been using AAC since the 80’s and who has been living in his own place with hired supports for 20 years. We travel down memory lane recalling accommodations that thankfully have been replaced with better options but also those that have stood the test of time.

Tim Jin is a disability rights advocate with cerebral palsy. He is the Assistant Director of Communication Rights for Disability Voices United, an organization focused on improving education and services for those with developmental disabilities. Jin advocates for improving the accessibility of technology-aided communication for those with speech-related disabilities. Jin has been a member of boards for organizations such as Ability Central Philanthropy, CommunicationFIRST, and the Self-Determination Program Local Advisory Committee for Regional Center of Orange County. Jin has been using an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device since elementary school. He graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a bachelor’s degree in speech communication.

To contact Tim regarding AAC training and inclusion for your staff or organization, email tim@jinonline.net

Hannah Foley is the Product & Service Development Intern and an Ambassador at PRC-Saltillo, where she develops training and implementation supports for PRC-Saltillo language systems. She also represents PRC-Saltillo at speaking engagements and other events. Hannah presents at school districts across the country on effective inclusion and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) implementation practices within homes, communities, and schools of those with complex communication needs. She is currently attending the University of Illinois at Chicago to complete her Assistive Technology Certification with a concentration in AAC for education. Hannah aims to pursue a professional career in AAC training and implementation to facilitate collaboration and effective training for implementation of AAC among all members of support teams.

Communication between provider and patient is a crucial component of quality care which is why extra thought and planning need to be arranged for augmentative and alternative communicators.

Jessica Gormley, PhD, CCC-SLP is an Assistant Professor, Speech-Language Pathologist, Research Coordinator and Interim Director in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at the UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute. Dr. Gormley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech and Hearing Handicapped from the State University of New York at Geneseo, a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the State University of New York at Geneseo, and a PhD in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Pennsylvania State University.

She provides inpatient and outpatient augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services as well as completes AAC research and program development activities. Her research and clinical interests center upon improving interactions among individuals with complex communication needs, their families, and health care providers through the development and evaluation of AAC tools and trainings.

Dr. Gormley is a co-organizer for the Patient-Provider Communication Network along with Tami Altschuler and Rachel Santiago. Dr. Gormley has co-authored several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on the topics of supporting AAC in acute care, personalization of patient-provider communication, and child-parent-provider communication interactions.

• Patient Provider Communication Network

• Bimonthly Zoom Call

• Article on Creating a Culture of Communication

• Widget Health downloadable resources

• Patient Provider Communication Network Downloadables

• Patient’s right to access to communication via the Joint Commission and other policies supporting patient communication

• Article about system changes in hospitals and other articles on AAC in medical settings