#AAC etiquette

[gwydion-aacblog]

if someone talk in way that is hard understand or " word salad " , and want answer with something snarky or rude : should not , actually ! if can not think anything to say , should just not say anything .

at best , maybe engage with spam bot and get harmless laugh . but at worst , hurt actual person , who could have hard time for reasons like :

very tired

not sober

brain injury

active psychosis

active mania

AAC user ( hi ! )

cognitive disabilities in general

and more !

should just be nice . hurt very much when make sincere effort communicate , but people just point and laugh because seem loopy and broken .

#disability #communication #AAC etiquette

[assistivetechnologyexhibition]

Assistive Technology and Communication

The American Sign Language and Hearing Association (ASHA; ASHA.org, 2016) defines communication as “the ability to receive, send, process, and comprehend concepts or verbal, nonverbal, and graphic symbol systems.”

Communication is important because:

it helps people express their needs and wants

it supports information transfer

it supports social closeness and etiquette

it helps people express their inner dialogue 

There are several types of Assistive Technology to support communication. These means of communication can be aided or unaided. 

Communication that is unaided means that communication partners do not need any outside factors such as a board or a tablet. Examples of unaided communication include:

facial gestures, sign language, verbal speech

Communication that is aided involves factors such as written language, drawing, pictures, and communication devices. 

PECS (Picture Exchange System) is one example of aided communication

PECS is an AAC system that supports students with little to no verbal communication skills to communicate using pictures. People using PECS are taught to approach another person and give them a picture of a desired item in exchange for the item. By doing so, this person is initiating communication and expressing their wants and needs (National Autism Resources, 2020). 

EX. If a student wants to play with playdoh, they would need to bring a picture of playdoh to their teacher in exchange for the playdoh. 

Boardmaker is a great resource to create PECS communication systems, If/then boards, token boards, task analyses, and visual schedules. 

*Other systems include Bliss Symbols, Widgets, Pictograms, Line Drawing Symbols, and Pictorial Symbols. When choosing a communication device for your student, you must consider their needs and abilities, tasks they need to complete on an everyday basis, environmental needs, and the necessary supports that will need to be in place to ensure the communication device is effective for the student. 

Here is a great video to show how critical it is to give student’s access to communication: 

[gwydion-aacblog]

often when use AAC , there is eventually someone give compliment that hurt far more than help . here is why .

can be hard communicate with AAC , yes . but this just how live life , not something that need reinforcement and " treats " for . yes some people do need reinforcement , but that should come from trusted people , not strangers . unless have very good reason , like special instruction , " good job " after every sentence talk down and means not trust in ability .

maybe just personal thing but also dislike things like " thank you for spend time on this when so hard " , things that almost call burden to use AAC . yes take longer time put together thoughts , but not need special praise for do anyway . again this feel like talk down and not trust .

might think , but this so easy understand because of how talk ! wonderful , keep that thought inside head . not need hear this , not need put spotlight and say " wow your disability convenient to me " . seriously think how that feel . this not choice that make , write like this because disabled and rely on AAC . just like cane users would not appreciate " so easy keep up when you walk this slow " from stranger - just because also might be disabled do not mean not uncomfortable and sometimes cruel when say things highlight .

might also think , but how talk sounds so cute / like goblin / whatever ! well guess what , will not give special points and praises for tolerate or find amusing . especially not when this means ignore what really say … unless this means would like for people to crowd around and coo about cute voice next time talk about how want fair rights . think probably would not ! so do not do same . 

so then gwydion , what should say about someone AAC ? good question ! nothing . nothing , nothing , nothing . unless that person or person's caregivers give any special permissions and instructions , do not make comments about AAC , about how write and use words . ask for help rephrase and understand if really need , but otherwise , zero zilch zip .

that should be very simple for people understand , but still need say every time posts get big . make very very exhaust to say same things again again again .

#actuallyautistic #nonverbal #nonspeaking #AAC user #AAC etiquette

[gwydion-aacblog]

every time that gwydion type or 3 or 4 lines in AAC - especially in healthcare places - people will say things " oh wow ! that is whole book ! "

but if could say those lines with voice , people would not have comments like that . so , so frustrate . do not do this to AAC users … some AAC users might want praise and friendly comments for write lots , but do not just assume all do .

#aac user #aac etiquette

[gwydion-aacblog]

hi gwydion, how can non-aac users help to include aac users in conversation better? i’ve seen multiple aac users say they often feel left out because of how much time it takes to find the right words and the conversation moves too quickly.

give time figure out answer , in general .

do not get annoy if answer something late after topic change . 

if in group , please try not let people split and start different conversation . patience key to not make AAC user feel like burden for others .

understand if AAC say something in wrong way , AAC user do not have way to change this . not have tone of voice , can not control emphasis or speed , and pronunciation can be hard work with . if suddenly get frustrate , that might be why . some people can sign , draw , or gesture to clarify , but not all can , and this depend on situation . so please be nice and try ask questions that easy yes or no answer if sudden frustrate . do not look at screen unless have permission .

long messages can be very frustrate if need repeat . this maybe different in other AAC , but in proloquo2go can not go back and change message after type , and that also means can not cut out start just to say end again . with proloquo2go technically possible to copy message text , erase extra part , then speak that , but again : not always thing everyone can do , and maybe different in other AAC . 

please do not start talk as soon as hear pause . this frustrate so much because people hear pause for one second and start talk again , when gwydion not actually done yet , voice is just slow . then talk over AAC and whine that gwydion need say again , which , back to above . ( if even realise at all … )

do not assume something wrong if AAC user choose not use device , because , can be very hard and sometimes really not need spend time and energy on make people hear device say " yes i like that " when could just nod . but at same time , try listen and make sure have place in conversation , with time to answer and feel safe answer , if that make sense .

#actuallyautistic #nonverbal #AAC user #AAC etiquette

[gwydion-aacblog]

when have conversations in disabled spaces , need be considerate for people with more severe problems than self . in this case , want talk about people who have more severe problems communicate in specific . 

sometimes , might use wrong words and phrasing . that do not mean person try hurt . will take for example what start all this : system who upset that someone , with intellectual disability ( if remember right ) , say personality and not person . 

understand that word personality hurt , feel like say that not really exist - sadly big part in how people see plurality . but also ... words like personality sometimes only thing that know , because not like learn about this in school , and not like most people often make plural friends . especially if might have limits on internet , like only allow this much time or these specific places . 

yes , " do not like that word " should be enough to make change … for average person without language problems . but not that easy for all people . sometimes not know how word things if change part like that . sometimes can not remember , brain will not hold this memory and new word . sometimes can not even understand why hurt , and yell and accuse just make scared try talk .

yes , wrong words hurt , and not say that can not feel hurt . but do say can not assume people mean to hurt , just because use wrong word , just because can not learn right one . have right to step out , but not right say this person is bad and cruel . 

some people have language problems severe enough that can not learn new word and change - that is not because " lazy and not care " , but because brain do not work like that . sometimes , to have conversation or even be friends , that means put up with some discomfort or pain from wrong words .

this go for lots words , and not even just disabled people . sometimes older people use words that know from when young , but those words slurs . sometimes someone grow and live in place without access learn what is right . sometimes , regardless why , need put up with some discomfort to meet with these people , so can help learn and learn from .

and no , this not conflict with idea that word nonverbal belong to people with permanent inability and severe difficulty . if anything , these ideas support each other , because many nonverbal people also have these problems that make hard use different words . that means when others take and run over nonverbal spaces and conversations , can not " just " choose new word to use for community . 

some words belong to specific people . this coexist with , some people literally not able use different words , even if bring discomfort to others . 

#actuallyautistic #nonverbal #nonspeaking #AAC etiquette #disability etiquette

[gwydion-aacblog]

want people to please find other things talk and ask nonverbal people about other than just " what words to call self if not nonverbal " . nonverbal people not just answer machines .

this not happen just when talk about word nonverbal , happen just because exist and happen be nonverbal . stop that . treat like people .

#actuallyautistic #nonverbal #AAC user #AAC etiquette

[gwydion-aacblog]

hi Gwydion ! I love your blog ! I don't know if it's rude , trying to be kind here , but I love the way you write so much . I'm autistic too and the way you write makes more sense to me than a lot of people do . so thank you for being who you are and sharing your experience . Have a good day !

please do not ask or say : (…) any comment or " compliment " about how type as language disabled AAC user .

very rude . ask again again again people not say these things just keep thoughts like this to self . gwydion disability not exist be convenient or pretty for others .

#aac etiquette #aac user

[gwydion-aacblog]

Is it fair to say that the only time people should comment on your or anyone elses writing is to ask for clarification on something? I feel like that's the only appropriate time to bring it up. "Hey, could you rephrase this because I'm having trouble understanding what you mean?" Other than that, nothing else at all! Absolutely nothing.

pretty much , but even then very important remember that really not able rephrase things for self , especially if reason hard is about grammar and word order not just word choice . everything that say is , in moment , already best way can think to say . take time , if even can , for change that .

is different for different AAC users but personally prefer , if not understand , that ask someone else ( like friend that know can better understand ) before ask gwydion . because . chance very very low can actually give what need to help .

( and to say up front , because history with people ask this . no . not appreciate idea someone sit around to " translate " everything say . especially absolute strangers . do not ask to do this . this language still english , even if different from typical . )

#aac etiquette #aac user

[gwydion-aacblog]

gwydion , he/him (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿) e/o (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿) , 20s

( icon - white man , brown red hair and beard , pink sunglasses , black collar , white shirt , sparkly green background )

nonverbal . physical disabilities . mild intellectual disability . autism . plural , personal reject DID name .

AAC user , full time and in write as well . disabilities make language and words hard . still not reason to assume " like kid " - gwydion do sometimes swear and talk about " adult " things .

prefer person first language . ( with autism , with intellectual disability )

he/him . not they/them . not OK take away gender because think disability make " not able to know " or " less " man . himself and himselves both OK .

before follow

support right to exist as most true self and self label if no one get hurt and no people boundary broken . gender , system origin , alterhuman , religion , sexuality , be free .

not include : radqueer and transid , people on purpose misuse disability words . these do end in boundary broken , people hurt , and speak over .

not able understand tone tags or neopronouns . support , but , please avoid use when talk direct to gwydion .

please do not ask or say : for gwydion to find label , to recommend AAC , any comment or " compliment " about how write .

do not interact with gwydion's plural posts if have problem with plurals reject disorder name or trauma only origin .

links

what is AAC ? / AAC as language?

AAC etiquette in conversations / all AAC etiquette posts

alternatives to " go nonverbal " / why ?

ARFID tag

autistic regression experiences : nonverbal as adult / language skills

do not comment on : AAC / language skills

be considerate : wrong words / " stubborn " views

intellectual disability tag

plural tag / " nonverbal headmate "

please remember

even with mild level intellectual disability is not easy always say everything want say , and , not always understand everything . sometimes understand community words and " discourse " if is very close relevant in life . but also many times not .

can not give perfect answer everything . not appreciate when say something and people start ask " what if this what if that " . if post say is basic , not need ask what if what if .

sometimes lose or forget messages because get lots activity . sometimes also choose not answer , because answer lots before , or not know how answer .

try really really hard stay OK to post , but if something push overwhelm upset too quick , might meltdown . words like " go away " is only way can say need things stop for now . promise is not hate attack .

[gwydion-aacblog]

Sorry if this is something that you've answered before, but what challenges do you face communicating with AAC and how might people accommodate those challenges so it's easier to communicate with non-AAC users?

can not actually think anything new that not already say before - definitely something out there that not say yet , just not sure exactly what right now , so will leave with this tag .

this include posts about :

if need AAC users to rephrase - remember that some can not

if want " compliment " how AAC user write - in general do not do this , disability is not there for other people " admire " or make someone else life " easier "

if want " translate " what someone say - this is still english even if not standard

some problems that have in real time or face to face conversations - lots is just , people not patient , or not take serious

#aac user #nonverbal

[gwydion-aacblog]

new tag for AAC etiquette posts .