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Author: Communication FIRST

Image with green background and blue text that says, “What is speechism?” To the right of the text are four question marks in black of varying sizes and a thin vertical line behind one of the question marks.

What is Speechism?

December 16, 2022 Communication FIRST

A Working Definition and Request for Input For centuries, people with significant speech disabilities have been treated as if we…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
A smiling white woman in her 20s with medium length brown hair wearing a light pink blazer over a grey t-shirt that says "Speech does not make someone more human" and a conference lanyard around her neck that says "Jordyn" and "Presenter" and has a mini-fidget attached. She is standing in front of a screen that says "2022 ASHA Convention - SLPs as Gatekeepers: Reimagining, Challenging, and Pushing Our Assumptions - 2:45-3:45". The bottom of the screen says 2:22 PM and November 18, 2022, and New Orleans Convention Center.

SLPs as AAC Gatekeepers

December 12, 2022 Communication FIRST

Guest blog by Jordyn Zimmerman, M.Ed. On November 18, 2022, CommunicationFIRST Board Chair Jordyn Zimmerman gave an invited presentation at…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
White text on a green-shaded background with an image of a child being examined by a doctor, reading " Ignoring a child’s need, ability, and right to express themselves and be understood in a health care setting is dangerous to their health, well-being, and life. -- Bob Williams" and the CommunicationFIRST logo in black and white, with the tagline, "Because communication is a human right."

Kids Need to Be Able to Communicate with their Doctors

November 23, 2022 Communication FIRST

Bob Williams Testimony on behalf of CommunicationFIRST on the Rights of Children and Youth to Effective Communication and Quality Health Care…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
Yellow background with black text that reads, "Run for Office with a Speech Disability?"

Run for Office with a Speech Disability?

November 4, 2022 Communication FIRST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CommunicationFIRST joins other disability rights advocates to express dismay at the public and media response to a…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
stock photo image of a government building looking up at columns and a blue sky with clouds

CommunicationFIRST Urges HHS to Strengthen Communication Regulations for People Who Need AAC

October 5, 2022 Communication FIRST

On October 3, 2022, CommunicationFIRST submitted comments to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on its proposed…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
Attend this live webinar (with CART and ASL and Spanish interpretation) to learn from Board Member Pancho Ramirez and the University of California San Francisco neuroscientists about groundbreaking technology to reduce communication barriers for people with speech disabilities

Brain to Text Technology?¿Tecnología de Cerebro a Texto?

September 27, 2022 Communication FIRST

(Leer en español abajo) In this open-captioned, ASL-interpreted webinar, which originally aired live on October 19, 2022, you’ll hear from…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
Text that reads “Let’s make this Hispanic Heritage Month impactful, and help our people with communication impairments to have the communication tools necessary to make big things, and contribute to our community! Pancho Ramirez full time AAC user.” Blue and white background. A set of black and green quotation marks are above the text. CommunicationFIRST logo is below the text

How Do You Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?

September 26, 2022 Communication FIRST

Leer en español How we Communicate our Culture September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, a month-long…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
Texto que dice “¡Hagamos que este Mes de la Herencia Hispana sea impactante y ayudemos a nuestra gente con problemas de comunicación a tener las herramientas de comunicación necesarias para hacer grandes cosas y contribuir a nuestra comunidad! Pancho Ramírez usuario de CAA tiempo completo.” Fondo azul y blanco. Sobre el texto hay un conjunto de comillas negras y verdes. El logotipo de CommunicationFIRST está debajo del texto

¿Cómo Celebras el Mes de la Herencia Hispana?

Communication FIRST

Read in English Como Comunicamos Nuestra Cultura Del 15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre es el Mes Nacional de…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
Ben Breaux, a white man wearing a hoodie and holding an AAC device, voting at an indoor polling place that appears to be a gym. A sign that says "Vote" with an American flag is obscuring the booth where he is standing and filling out his ballot.

Voting To Make Your Voice Heard

September 12, 2022 Communication FIRST

CommunicationFIRST Celebrates Disability Voting Rights Week with REV UP “Vote as if your life depends on it … because it…

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Posted in: Resources Filed under: civic engagement, democracy, voting
abstract stock photo of fireworks and lights

We Are Growing! ¡Estamos creciendo!

August 4, 2022 Communication FIRST

Leer en español Please join us in welcoming our new Chair and Program Associates We are pleased to announce that,…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
screenshot of a page of an augmentative communication device showing words like nonbinary, genderfluid, identity, orientation, genderqueer, LGBTQ, queer, pride, trans, intersex, cis, gendervague, two-spirit, cishet, questioning, pansexual, asexual, gay, demisexual, lesbian, aromantic, heterosexual, demiromantic, straight, aspec

What Does Gender Have To Do with Presuming Competence?

June 30, 2022 Communication FIRST

Guest Blog by Tuttleturtle I am an AAC user. I am also queer and trans. My AAC is part of…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
view from above of nine pairs of hands, each holding a different kind of tablet, phone, or laptop with forearms resting on a wooden table

We are hiring!

June 3, 2022 Communication FIRST

Thanks to a generous two-year grant from the Ford Foundation, we are looking to expand our team and advance our…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
one hand holding a pen placed on a number chart, the other hand on a calculator

AAC Counts! How many strong are we?

May 28, 2022 Communication FIRST

Did you know that federal and state governments in the United States do not regularly count people with speech disabilities,…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
The Nora Project: What Are School Shootings, How Do They Make Us Feel, and What Can We Do About Them? K-12 Easy-Read. Logos of CommunicationFIRST and Teaching is Intellectual and Autistic Self Advocacy Network

School Shootings Easy-Read Resource (Updated)

May 27, 2022 Communication FIRST

We are devastated that there is a need for such a resource, but CommunicationFIRST is humbled to partner with The…

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Posted in: Uncategorized
Young white man with brown hair sitting at a table typing on an iPad communication device. An inset of the screen he is typing on is visible. The screen and video captions read "Hi everyone."

Thoughts from an Autistic AAC User After the April 2022 Meeting of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee

April 20, 2022 Communication FIRST

Grant Blasko, a nonspeaking autistic augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) user and member of CommunicationFIRST’s Advisory Council, expressed the following…

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Posted in: Uncategorized

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