by JIM CULLEN

Putting technology to work to do their talking were (left to right) Hays High School’s Kristen Salazar and Tobias Elementary’s Chris Segura, assisted by Simon Middle School student teacher Amber Green. Kristen’s Voice Output communication device is a Chat MS and Chris was introducing himself with his ChatPC-Silk. (Photo by Jim Cullen)

The full name of the event was the “2nd Annual Hays AAC Talk Festival,” and for those taking part at the Performing Arts Center recently, the “AAC” didn’t have to be explained. For the rest of us, it stands for “Augmentative and Alternative Communication.” It’s a long name for a very basic idea—giving students with limited or no ability to talk a means to communicate.

To see the joy and excitement of Hays CISD students come together and enjoy newfound communication abilities is truly a sight to behold.

About eighteen students—ranging from 4th grade through the age 18+ program—currently receiving district services introduced themselves to one another, enhanced their communication abilities and, in general, enjoyed themselves in a variety of activities. Enabling them to do so were a wide range of technology devices that “supplement speech or provide an alternative means to communicate when typical speech is not adequate,” according to district speech-language pathologist and assistive technology specialist Rebecca Wilkinson-Smith, who helped coordinate the second Talk Fest.

“It’s a great forum for many of our speech/AAC users from various campuses to come together and practice communicating with these systems,” she says, noting the fact that the district also has many younger (age 3-8) students using communication devices.

The price for these devices range from $800 to $7,000, but their impact on the students using them is clearly priceless.

This “assistive technology” was first legally defined in the Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988. According to the Hays CISD Special Education Department website, since the law’s passage, the responsibility to provide assistive technology devices and services has been mandated in a number of legal revisions, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

When it comes to local implementation, district staff like Wilkinson-Smith, augmentative communications specialist Cherie Large, and Denise Minton, the district’s coordinator of speech-language therapy services, work with a host of others to make it all possible. A committed group of district speech pathologists and special education teachers across the district bring their skills to bear on improving students’ access to education and life skills.

As for the 2010 Talk Fest itself, Wilkinson-Smith predicted it would be “a wonderful opportunity for our speech therapy students who use these devices to communicate and meet each other in a fun, game-filled atmosphere.” Following the enjoyable gathering, eighteen Hays CISD students would surely agree that that goal had been met.