CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For most people communicating is a simple task, but it can also be a challenge for others.
Corpus Christi resident Marissa Ackerman, a mother of two, has come up with a creative way to help kids learn about individuals who have to communicate with special devices.
Ackerman's 7-year-old son, Jacob, has nonverbal autism. About two years ago, he began using a speech program called Speak For Yourself on his tablet, which is also known as his augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device.
Ackerman said the AAC device is his way of communicating and many nonverbal people use them as their 'voice.' It's a device that nearly 2 million people use nationwide.
However, it's not only limited to tablets and laptops. Other forms of AAC are sign language and picture letterboards.
Jacob's story, along with others, inspired Ackerman to write a short story called This Is My Voice.
October is AAC Awareness Month. So to spread awareness, Ackerman took her book to The Rise School, Corpus Christi's first and only school dedicated to early education of children with and without disabilities in an inclusive classroom setting. There, she read her book to students, educating them on individuals who are nonverbal and how they use AAC devices to communicate.
“I chose to start this at an early childhood level because I think if we expose children more about how communication looks different for everybody, especially with the rise of our nonverbal communities, then hopefully it will make an impact," Ackerman said.
After she read the story, students created their own AAC devices and learned exactly how one works. The programs used for AAC are designed for users to select keywords in the sentence, find them on the provided chart, and the device will configure and repeat the full sentence out loud.
“They got to color it, they got to look at the icons with each other and then we actually made it wearable because that’s how a lot of the community has to have, is wearable devices," Ackerman added.
Teachers also said using an AAC device has opened doors for nonverbal students and helps them interact more with their peers.
“We actually have three of our students who use AAC devices," Preschool teacher Victoria Olvera said. "When she came in here and showed it to them, they were like look, ‘it says I like and it says me’ and they were so happy that they could communicate among one another. It’s such a beautiful thing to see inclusion and they just blossom together.”
Ackerman is also working to get her book published.
“It is our duty as people in the community to learn about alternative ways that people communicate," Ackerman said.
She's also hoping to collaborate with other local schools in Corpus Christi to continue raising awareness for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
If you are interested in learning more about AAC or This Is My Voice, contact Marissa Ackerman at advocatecctx@gmail.com.
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