Hello.
Please take a moment
to watch this video
and learn about the technologies
I use that help me communicate.
I promise I will only take
a few minutes of your time.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I communicate using a high
tech voice output communication
device called the
ECO-14, manufactured
by the Prentke Romich Company.
This is my primary
means of communication.
I also use a low tech lap
tray communication board
as a backup to ensure I always
have a way to communicate.
In high school I
learn how to use
a voice helpful
communication device called
The Liberator, also manufactured
by the Prentke Romich Company.
But after graduation,
I did not have
the support I needed to
keep using my Liberator.
I was unable to use my
communication device,
and that meant I had
to rely on other people
to ask me yes and no questions.
I can answer yes
and no questions
by opening my eyes to
answer yes and closing
my eyes to answer no.
The only other way
I could communicate
was to use my low
tech communication
board on my lap tray.
Because I cannot point
to the pictures myself,
I must rely on other people to
help me using an access method
called partner
assisted scanning.
I will now demonstrate
partner assisted scanning.
You.
Me.
Finished.
Bathroom.
You need to use the bathroom?
No?
Am I finished going
to the bathroom?
Am I finished with the bathroom?
In my house?
Oh, you're asking, am I finished
with the bathrooms in my house?
Oh, my gosh, yes.
We're finished.
It's a story.
It was-- it was a story.
But yes, we are
finished with them.
Partner assisted
scanning is very
difficult for people
who don't know
how to use the board with me.
It can be frustrating
for me and the people who
are trying to use my board
to communicate with me.
After about five years of
being dependent on other people
to help me communicate, I began
to receive speech therapy.
Through speech therapy, I
learned to use the ECO-14,
and now I have the
support I need to keep
using my communication device.
I am now able to communicate
independently using my ECO-14.
I cannot use my hands
to point to the device,
so I must use a switch
positioned at my head to access
my ECO-14.
I use my switch to make choices
through a method of selection
called "scanning."
Another obstacle I face
that affects my ability
to communicate is not being
able to read and spell.
I was not taught to read as
a child so now I am trying
to learn to read as an adult
because I cannot spell out
my messages.
I choose pictures
of my ECO-14 that
represent words and put them
together to make sentences.
I will show you
how I do this now.
Want to hear a knock-knock joke?
Yes, I would love to
hear a knock-knock joke.
Knock-knock.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Nose.
Nose who?
I knows plenty more
knock-knock jokes.
Oh, good.
You know knows plenty
more knock-knock jokes.
Tell me one more.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Pencil.
Pencil who?
Your pants will fall down
when you wear them so low.
[LAUGHING]
That's great.
All right, that was awesome.
That was a good one.
Good, good.
OK.
That was a good
example of scanning.
Is there anything else
you wanted to say?
I love my ECO-14.
I love my ECO-14.
As you can see, it
takes some time for me
to write a sentence.
I need people to be patient
and wait for me to select
the words I want to say.
I understand everything
that is said to me,
but it takes time
for me to respond.
The ECO-14 has made a
big change in my life
because I am no longer
dependent on others
to be able to communicate.
People can see I am intelligent
and I have important things
to say.
Thank you for taking the
time to watch this video.
[MUSIC PLAYING]