August 2003 Volume 15 Number 3 door. I am now afraid of worms. I worry about privacy and confidenti- ality, and I freak out when my website goes Almost a decade ago, we devoted down. In the end, however, the an issue of Augmentative Commu- benefits WAY outweigh the irritants. For Consumers nication News (ACN) to the Inter- This issue of ACN challenged me The Internet and its offspring net and AAC. At the time, many to reflect on how people within the AT/AAC enABLES people in the AAC community AAC community use the Internet http://depts.washington.edu/enables were not yet using computers or the for teaching and learning about Clinical News Internet regularly. Today, however, things that matter to them. Since the Teaching and learning about AAC use of the Internet has increased need for AAC-related information Equipment exponentially. varies depending upon who you are, Manufacturer sites I have given each section a different The growth of the Net is not a fluke or Governmental focus. For Consumers contem- a fad, but the consequence of unleash- Access for all ing the power of individual creativity. If plates the use of the Internet by it were an economy, it would be the people who rely on AAC and their AAC-RERC triumph of the free market over central family members. AT/AAC en- Use of the Internet in AAC research planning. In music, jazz over Bach. Democracy over dictatorship.1 ABLES highlights a website that Admittedly, I am a bit older than Continued on page 2 most of my colleagues. I certainly did not grow up imagining that I 2. Decreases personal would send emails to friends across isolation that some the world and get a response in individuals experience hours, or work on a document with a because of restrictions colleague hundreds of miles away, they face in moving or chat with a friend using a com- about, communicating or The Internet and its easily congregating with others. puter, or search for information on offspring something called “Google,” or take a 3. Increases integration by allowing continuing education course from In 1995, Michael B. Williams wrote, individuals to interact with others my home, or listen to a webcast The Internet and its precocious in a way that makes their disabil- offspring the WWW are in the lecture while viewing a PowerPoint spotlight. Open a newspaper or ity invisible or irrelevant. presentation, or order books, or plan magazine, or turn on the television. 4. Provides opportunities to partici- trips online or ANYTHING like It’s a hot topic. It’s so hot that the U.S. Government wants to regulate it and pate in distance learning pro- that. The Internet is a truly extraor- businesses want to put advertisements grams and may enable one to dinary resource. on it.2 receive medical information from It is also a pain. I hate being He listed a number of ways the a remote location when travel is thrown offline. I groan when I am information superhighway can difficult. told I need to download some “free” benefit people with disabilities: software to watch a webcast. 5. Enables individuals with mobility Although it is SUPPOSED to be 1. Drastically increases the ability or travel impairments to do their simple, it never, ever is. I detest for individuals with some types shopping, learning and working having spam delivered to my email of disabilities to access and use from their homes or other information. Continued on page 2 1 Clinical News, Continued from page 1 Table I. Top ten reasons to use ACOLUG, is housed at Temple the Internet (Dowden 1996)4 University and partially supported 3 facilities. 1 Communicate more with my family. by the AAC-RERC. ACOLUG is a Don’ t have to say I have a disability if I virtual space reserved for AAC user In 1996, Patricia Dowden re- 2 don’ t want to. ported on ten reasons consumers use discussions. While some people on 3 Participate in discussion groups. 4 ACOLUG are active discussants, the Internet. [See Table I.] These Express more forthrightly my opinions to reasons cluster into several catego- 4 government and TV stations. even more individuals are “lurkers” ries—community building, informa- 5 Download games to play offline. (i.e., they read posted messages, but Check out movie reviews and times before don’t participate in discussions). tion gathering, recreation, mentoring 6 and conducting business —and are making plans. Service providers, family members, 7 Make travel plans and reservations. discussed below. educators and manufacturers are Check the CNN home page for news instead 8 of watching TV news. Read magazines on among those “lurking” on Community building line. ACOLUG. Discussion topics vary Email, listservs, instant messaging 9 Decrease my phone bills. widely and have included issues and chat rooms are ways to commu- 10 Expand my horizons. related to AAC devices, general nicate over the Internet with friends art, music, gardening or sex. In using technology, funding, living indepen- and family, as well as with people these communication options, dently, health and safety, abuse, who share similar interests. These individuals can elect to participate school, employment, parental communication avenues can be the without mentioning their disability. concerns, transportation and more.5 mortar of communities and relation- Some individuals with newly Because independent participation ships. Email is fast becoming a acquired conditions, and their in listservs and chat rooms requires favored communication mode for family members, may find listservs considerable literacy skills, many many people with speech difficulties help them connect with others who from the AAC community do not who rely on AAC and are literate. In are going through similar experi- participate. However, friends, family addition, chat rooms offer lots of ences (e.g., people with aphasia or members and/or professionals can options, depending upon one’s age amyotropic lateral sclerosis). The support their inclusion by reading or and interests. People who rely on members of these listservs can offer summarizing postings when a topic AAC may choose to join listservs first-hand experience and ongoing of interest is discussed. Supporters and chat rooms that discuss their support. may also type questions, comments personal interests and needs, such as One popular AAC listserv, or requests for information on behalf Upfront, Continued from page 1 of someone who is not able to do so They are listed on page 15. independently. Being in the mix is targets clinicians, family members, The next issue will focus on what’s most important! educators and policy makers to autism and AAC, a topic that has help dispel myths about AAC. grown exponentially in importance Information gathering Clinical News discusses benefits over the past few years. Pat Mirenda There is information about almost for service providers. It includes and Emily Rubin are contributing everything all over the Internet. This information about AAC Internet their expertise. it promises to be a includes AAC strategies, equipment, courses. The Equipment section terrific issue. materials, conferences, treatment considers AAC manufacturer sites Sarah W. Blackstone, approaches, service providers and and the types of useful information Ph.D. CCC-SP AAC-related organizations. Anyone they currently provide. Govern- can find it overwhelming to sift mental highlights important through this information. For ex- accessibility guidelines and issues. ample, if you Google (www.google. Finally, the AAC-RERC section com) “augmentative communica- shares information about how the tion,” you get approximately 580 Internet can support research and websites; “AAC devices” yields 470 development activities. websites; “Literacy and AAC” has Many thanks to all who contrib- 520 websites. It is easy to feel uted their information and ideas. inundated and get lost. 2 Sophisticated consumers can Table II. Internet precautions encouragement. Participants in- target their Internet searches. Some (Dowden 1996)4 cluded 30 adult AAC mentors and know enough about the field to There is lots of misinformation out there. more than 30 adolescents and young 1 recognize the names of experts. Consumers beware. adults who used AAC. As mentoring However, many people with com- 2 Don’ t believe everything you read. relationships developed, it was plex communication needs and their evident that opportunities for the Single topic newsgroups and WWW sites 3 family members have no clue how to may take you out of the mainstream.. protégés to socialize with their evaluate the usefulness or authority Advertisements often look like objective mentors and share life experiences of the information they find on the 4 information. were also very important. The use of Internet. 5 Don’ t buy anything unseen. the Internet and email was essential Self-serving people who prey on Table II delineates some Internet 6 to the success of each of these AAC precautions.4 While the Internet is an vultnerabilities are out there. mentoring programs. Don’ t give or accept “medical” or “clinical” effective way to raise awareness, 7 advice on the Internet. Conducting business AAC consumers (like everyone else) Don’ t give out personal, identifying 8 E-commerce makes it easy to should beware. It is always smart to information. buy things. In fact, we are all just a consult with others who are more Watch what you say in emails. They can 9 knowledgeable and can assist in travel way beyond your expectations. few clicks away from maxing out evaluating information found on the Mentoring our credit cards. We can purchase Internet.6 groceries, books, movie tickets, A mentoring relationship consists birthday presents and airline tickets. Recreation of a person with more experience or We can register for conferences and Access to the web opens the door more confidence in a specific area buy AAC products.