{"id":4042,"date":"2025-01-07T10:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-01-07T09:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/medical-humanities\/?p=4042"},"modified":"2024-12-06T10:56:53","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T09:56:53","slug":"imagining-alternative-futures-with-augmentative-and-alternative-communication-a-manifesto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/medical-humanities\/2025\/01\/07\/imagining-alternative-futures-with-augmentative-and-alternative-communication-a-manifesto\/","title":{"rendered":"Imagining Alternative Futures with Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A Manifesto"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Article Summary by Darryl Sellwood and Graham Pullin<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\">\r\n       .errordiv { padding:10px; margin:10px; border: 1px solid #555555;color: #000000;background-color: #f8f8f8; width:500px; }#advanced_iframe {visibility:visible;opacity:1;}#ai-layer-div-advanced_iframe p {height:100%;margin:0;padding:0}<\/style><script type=\"text\/javascript\">  var ai_iframe_width_advanced_iframe = 0;  var ai_iframe_height_advanced_iframe = 0;var aiIsIe8=false;var aiOnloadScrollTop=\"true\";\r\nif (typeof aiReadyCallbacks === 'undefined') {\r\n    var aiReadyCallbacks = [];  \r\n} else if (!(aiReadyCallbacks instanceof Array)) {\r\n    var aiReadyCallbacks = [];\r\n}    function aiShowIframeId(id_iframe) { jQuery(\"#\"+id_iframe).css(\"visibility\", \"visible\");    }    function aiResizeIframeHeight(height) { aiResizeIframeHeight(height,advanced_iframe); }    function aiResizeIframeHeightId(height,width,id) {aiResizeIframeHeightById(id,height);}<\/script><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"advanced_iframe\"  name=\"advanced_iframe\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ngtd5VSQSVM?si=xixB_Z9A81OAuQuD\"  width=\"560\"  height=\"315\"  frameborder=\"0\"  border=\"0\"  allowtransparency=\"true\"  allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\"  style=\";width:560;height:315;\" ><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">var ifrm_advanced_iframe = document.getElementById(\"advanced_iframe\");var hiddenTabsDoneadvanced_iframe = false;\r\nfunction resizeCallbackadvanced_iframe() {}function aiChangeUrl(loc) {}<\/script>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As authors who use AAC devices, we emphasize the need for disabled individuals to be directly involved in creating solutions that impact our lives. Our manifesto challenges the conventional, technology-driven future of AAC, advocating instead for social inclusion and equity. We stress the importance of interdependence and the biases inherent in current technologies.<\/p>\n<p>Through our lived experiences and insights from disability justice, we argue that disabled individuals should lead the development of AAC technologies and be involved in decision-making at every level. Current technological innovations often overlook the significant effort required to adopt and use these tools, and the push for independence can undermine the essential human right of interdependence, which is crucial for meaningful communication.<\/p>\n<p>Our manifesto calls for a shift from a top-down, medically-driven approach to one that is inclusive, socially aware, and person-centered. We envision a future where the voices of people who use AAC are integral, driving the development of technologies and shaping their own futures. This manifesto is an invitation for ongoing dialogue and action, aiming for a more inclusive and equitable AAC community.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Read the full article on <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mh.bmj.com\/content\/early\/2024\/10\/30\/medhum-2024-013022\">the <em>Medical Humanities <\/em>journal website<\/a><\/strong>.<\/h3>\n<p><!--TrendMD v2.4.8--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Article Summary by Darryl Sellwood and Graham Pullin &nbsp; As authors who use AAC devices, we emphasize the need for disabled individuals to be directly involved in creating solutions that impact our lives. Our manifesto challenges the conventional, technology-driven future of AAC, advocating instead for social inclusion and equity. We stress the importance of interdependence [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/medical-humanities\/2025\/01\/07\/imagining-alternative-futures-with-augmentative-and-alternative-communication-a-manifesto\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":345,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15028,15047],"tags":[15044],"class_list":["post-4042","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-journal-announcements","category-special-issues","tag-research"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Imagining Alternative Futures with Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A Manifesto - Medical Humanities<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Listen to Darryl Sellwood&#039;s article summary, which calls for involving disabled people in the development and design of Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/medical-humanities\/?p=4042\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Imagining Alternative Futures with Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A Manifesto - 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