Perspectives

This page contains resources, announcements, guest blogs, essays, videos, and other stuff. Come back often!

Bob’s Retirement

By Communication FIRST | Nov 5, 2025

Bob Williams sits at the head of the Roosevelt Room conference table in the White House with his AAC device mounted on his power chair. He is laughing along with President Obama, Attorney General Holder, and other disability leaders.

With mixed feelings, we share the news that CommunicationFIRST’s co-founder Bob Williams is retiring.

“We Take Care of Our Own:” Protecting Medicaid

By Communication FIRST | Sep 26, 2025

[Image: Bob Williams wears a plaid cap and glasses. He sits in a powerchair with a microphone near his speech-generating device. Behind him is the US Capitol building. Image credit: Alison Chandra.]

During the last week of July 2025, Caring Across Generations, CommunicationFIRST, and other partners held a 60-Hour Protect Medicaid Vigil. This vigil showed Congress the huge importance of Medicaid to many constituents with disabilities and their allies. During the vigil, CommunicationFIRST’s Co-Founder Bob Williams gave the following personal remarks.

Completing a Ph.D. About AAC as an AAC User: Interview with Dr. Lateef McLeod

By Communication FIRST | Sep 22, 2025

Two panels from a Zoom meeting. At top, Lateef McLeod looks down intently at his SGD device, wearing a hoodie that says “All Power to the People.” At bottom, Marrok looks up at the screen, smiling, wearing a paisley collared shirt.

We interviewed our own Dr. Lateef McLeod about his dissertation on peer mentorship between AAC users. He showed the importance of offering mentorship by us, for us, and co-created mentorship spaces accessible to people who use a variety of forms of AAC.

AAC Users on the Future of AAC Research

By Communication FIRST | Sep 15, 2025

AAC users Lateef McLeod (left) and Lance McLemore (right) present on stage at the Future of AAC Research Summit in May 2024. Lateef and Lance type on communication devices. Across from them, the backs of two audience members’ heads are visible. They appear to be listening attentively.

The journal of Augmentative and Alternative Communication published papers from our Future of AAC Research Summit! Nearly all of the 21 papers are authored or co-authored by someone who uses AAC. Access these papers and watch many of the authors present now.

See Us, Hear Us Film Screening & Chat with Bob Williams & Forest Haven Survivors Ricardo & Donna Thornton

By Communication FIRST | May 19, 2025

This webinar first aired on October 15, 2024, and begins with a screening of CommunicationFIRST’s latest See Us, Hear Us film featuring Bob Williams. It is followed by a discussion among CommunicationFIRST Policy Director Bob Williams, Forest Haven Institution survivors Ricardo Thornton and Donna Thornton, and advocate and ally Rebecca Salon.