Tracy Rackensperger2006 Edwin and Esther Prentke
AAC Distinguished Lecturer
Barry Romich - Tracy Rackensperger - Bruce Baker
Facing a number of transitions in my life, I want to discuss my experiences as a person who uses augmentative communication, in dealing with various life challenges. During the hour we have, I plan to explain the role AAC has played in meeting my education, employment, independent living, and social goals. I will describe the importance of achieving these goals, as well as the on-going importance of having a system of communication to obtain them.
In addition, I will also talk about the importance of augmentative communication in assisting other individuals in achieving life goals. I will state key experiences in my life, both technology and support wise, that have made me successful. Using these key experiences, I will give my opinions regarding how individuals can support people who use augmentative communication in realizing and obtaining their hopes, desires, and dreams. These opinions include, having high expectations, supporting values enabling individuals to achieve, and educating others about the potential of augmentative communication. Realizing the theme of this presentation is, Life as a Series of Transitions, I plan to conclude my discussion by focusing on future transitions and how augmentative communication will assist me in being successful.
Before I begin, let me introduce myself. My name is Tracy Rackensperger. I am a long-time user of augmentative communication. I have worked with various universities and entities on research and dissemination activities related to augmentative communication. My published material has appeared in Advanced Magazine, Augmentative Communication News, Speak UP, Alternatively Speaking, and the ConnSENSE Bulletin.
After living in Florida all my life, I moved in July 2005 to become the Research and Information Coordinator at the Institute on Human Development and Disability, University of Georgia. I have a Bachelors degree in Radio-Television and a Masters degree in Communication.
I use augmentative communication to communicate with people who have difficulty understanding my own natural speech. People who have known me for a while can understand my natural speech almost all the time. Strangers usually have no clue what I am saying unless I use augmentative communication. I have used these devices to interact with teachers, classmates, employers, coworkers, strangers and friends. I am using augmentative communication more and more to give presentations, spread ideas, and help others who have developmental disabilities.
I want to start out this session by explaining some of my augmentative communication history and how the successful augmentative communication strategies I have been taught and used have assisted me in reaching my life goals. The life goals I have achieved are to: go to college, get a full-time career, and live on my own.
In order for me to get the great job and the wonderful house I have currently, I had to get the best education I could. This meant ensuring I had access to augmentative communication. My family had always been encouraging of augmentative communication, and so was the educational system. I feel these factors are very important for a user of augmentative communication. They were instrumental to my success as an individual. I had a methodology of communicating all the way through my schooling.
I was one of a small number of individuals introduced to augmentative communication at an extremely young age. When I was about three years old, my speech language pathologist trained me on Blisymbols, visual graphic symbols that represent words. The Bliss Symbols were arranged on a board in categories such as verbs, prepositions, adjectives, and nouns. This system served two purposes. First, it allowed me to communicate with people who could not understand my speech very well. Second, because the board was organized by word class, it aided my learning of English.
Because individuals realized I had an expanding vocabulary and being able to communicate effectively was going to assist me in getting the best education, my supporters decided I needed a more complex system. The county where I attended school had their own assessment center. The center had the latest augmentative communication and assistive technology devices. A group of physical, occupational, and SLPs assessed my augmentative communication needs.
Once we settled on a device, I worked with SLPs to develop skills to use it. They taught me how to use icon sequences and about icon representation. However, I worked with them on improving my verbal skills as well. I am a firm believer in people who use augmentative communication using a multi facet approach to communicate. I think it is the main reason why I am successful at transitioning from different environments. In some communication situations, augmentative communication is not needed because the persons communicative partner understands the individuals speech. It definitely helped that I had my own natural speech. There has been and continue to be situations, where I use multiple approaches to communicate with people.
Augmentative communication has been an instrumental part of my life. I had many barriers placed in front of me when I was searching for employment. The main ones were the attitudes about being capable of doing a job. I have always wanted to work full-time. Being able to be independent and having the freedom to control my own destiny are the most important things to me. I am a very ambitious individual with lots of dreams and goals for my life. I want it all, the great job, the wonderful house, and someone special to share it with me. So far, I have two out of the three!
When I talked to employers, arranged interviews, and had formal conversations, I used augmentative communication. In my current job, I use augmentative communication in meetings, lectures, and conversations. AAC, along with other communication methods, has enabled me to achieve in employment.
Since I had gotten the full-time job, next on my list was moving into a place of my own. My logic has always been, if I have a job, I have my own money, and if I have my own money, I can do all the things that I want to do. Things like, live in my own place, make more of my own decisions, be in a relationship with someone, and so on.
Being in my own place, along with having a job, has given me more opportunities to socialize with individuals. I am making plans via the phone and e-mail. Using my communication device, I am able to participate in going to concerts, parks, and sporting events.
Why are these goals so important to me? Because they are important to everyone. We all want to be independent and have relationships. I, and others who use augmentative communication, want good jobs, good places to live, and individuals who care and love us. It is important for individuals who work with people who use augmentative communication, to believe they can succeed at high levels.
People who use augmentative communication need the support of others to succeed in their goals. Many individuals without experience or exposure to people who use augmentative communication tend not to look at their strengths first, but instead to focus on what they are unable to do. Unfortunately, every day, most persons encounter low expectations. Stereotypes and negative attitudes society holds about people with disabilities, are the biggest barriers inhibiting their ability to succeed. There are a lot of outdated beliefs about people with disabilities. Today, we are still overwhelmed by attitudes regarding segregation, and how much people with disabilities can contribute to society.
However, there is hope in you, and all of us, to make further progress to explain to people. Yes, people must be held to high standards. Yes, people have the right to be included in their community. And yes, people can achieve great things. You can best aid people who use augmentative communication by letting the general public know that, just because a person cannot walk, write, or talk, does not mean they cannot contribute to society. Its important to expose individuals to augmentative communication. Individuals who need augmentative communication technology should access it as early as possible. The general public needs to know how augmentative communication enables people to achieve at their highest level.
To end my talk, I would like to take the opportunity to discuss my future goals. I would still like to improve my social life. Although, I go out more then I used to, transportation is a big barrier. We have almost the typical Paratransit system in Athens. Perhaps its a little better than most, but it still has issues and limitations. I do sometimes borrow my fathers van. However, I am investigating getting my own van. Another goal is to do some dating and develop a relationship with someone.
Thank you for having me here today. I would now like to open this session up to comments and questions.
Tracy Rackensperger
tdoggog@yahoo.com
