Rehumanizing Access to Communication By Alexandra Ponsica, PIT I would like to rehumanize the communication needs of a nonspeaker, since semantics seem to be the reason so many nonspeakers cannot access their basic human right to communication in school instead of what the child needs. To put it into perspective, I am a mom to […]

Independence or Autonomy? By Alexandra Ponsica One goal that is often the main focus of parents, caregivers, and instructors of individuals with special needs is achieving independence. On the surface, it sounds like a fantastic goal. As a mother of twin 10 year old nonspeakers and spellers, it is certainly something I want my children […]

Why I am an Advocate for Nonspeakers Like Me By: Ryan Heller Lots of people have communication issues they need assistance with. Nonspeakers and unreliable speakers like me need assistance through a letterboard or keyboard. We need to be  taught by a trained professional to use these tools and we need access to communication at […]

Legal Capacity and the Right to Communicate By: Nicolas Joncour I would like to talk to you about people who are not considered capable of making their own choices, because their disability prevents them from having their own acceptable desires. I see that the world needs to hear from those affected. The time I take […]

Making the World a Place Where Spellers Thrive By: Divyesh Jain Being able to write this blog is something I have dreamed of my whole life. A lot of people doubt my intelligence, I now have the tools and confidence to prove them wrong and tell my story. My name is Divyesh Jain and I […]

Hey everyone! I want to take some time to talk about the holidays. While we often imagine the holidays are filled with cheer and comradery that may not be the case for your Nonspeakers. Sometimes family members that are visiting don’t know how to treat us. Sometimes we get ignored or talked down to. I […]

College Bodies by: Anshil Kumar College is one of the most exciting and terrifying topics amongst the spelling community. We finally have an outlet of which we are able to display our intelligence, but we still are stuck in an impulsive body. Where is the balance between the two? What accommodations do we need to […]

Strategies for First Responders Interacting with Autistics and Nonspeakers By: Ian Nordling On a Saturday in August, and again in late October, I had the honor of presenting to a group of Fairfax County first responders. A few years ago, one of the individuals had been sent to Growing Kids Therapy Center (GKTC) to help […]

Thinking Through Dysregulation THIS GUIDE TO THINKING THROUGH DYSREGULATION WAS PREPARED FOR THE MOTORMORPHOSIS 2022 PARENT NETWORKING COFFEE BY LAKSHMI RAO SANKAR AND DEBBIE SPENGLER, I-ASC LEADERSHIP CADRE  When a speller is becoming dysregulated, it’s important to remember the common thread that dysregulation holds for all of us. Because when it comes down to it, the […]

Dear Jen by Ethan Nagy My dear friends, as I write this I am in deep thought caused by the loss endured by my good friend and math mentor.  Grief looks different to each person but in particular to a non-speaking autistic. Our grief is felt through the lense of sensory differences. Not all have the […]