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News
October, 2007 – International AAC Awareness Month
ISAAC (International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication) has declared October 2007 to be AAC Awareness month in thirteen countries across five continents around the world. CAYA is proud to support ISAAC and ISAAC-Canada and participate in the following activities.
October 4, 2007 – International AAC Awareness Day:
October 4 was a big day for CAYA and for people who use augmentative/ alternative communication in BC, Canada and the world. It was on this day that the government of BC announced the provision of an additional 4.2 million dollars in funding for a further three years of CAYA services to people with complex communication disabilities. An official ceremony was held at the SET-BC/CAYA Provincial Centre, where a cheque was presented by the Honourable Claude Richmond, Minister of Employment and Income Assistance. In addition, the Honourable Carol Taylor, Minister of Finance, presented a declaration on behalf of Attorney General, the Honourable Wally Opel, declaring October 4, 2007 as the International Awareness Day for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. For complete information, please see the official news release from the Province of British Columbia. View pictures above.
Simon Cox, Executive Director of BCITS, delivered his thanks on behalf of his organization. BCITS has served adults with communication disabilities for many years and is now an important partner and friend of CAYA. Two people who use AAC devices to communicate, Melinda Rundle and Ashleigh Dukoff, replied to the Minister’s welcomed announcement. Melinda, a Canadian Representative on the international board of ISAAC, replied on behalf of her ISAAC colleagues, who were instrumental in the development of CAYA. Ashleigh Dukoff, a young adult who lives in Victoria, replied on behalf of CAYA clients and families.
Read Speeches
- Ashleigh's Speech (pdf)
- Jeff's Speech (pdf)
- Melinda's Speech (pdf)
- Simon's Speech (pdf)
Finally, the event left a lasting impression upon Minister Richmond, who sent a wonderful thank you letter, which you can read here (pdf) .
October 26, 2007 - Nanaimo: AAC Awareness Day
CAYA clients, families and staff participated in a day-long AAC Awareness Event at Woodgrove Mall in Nanaimo, BC. There was an area with display tables and room to gather, so that people could have conversations with those they knew and those who were walking by. Clients arrived from up to 2 hours away to support the occasion and promote the awareness of AAC in the mid-island region of the province.
May 9, 2007 - CAYA Book Launch
Speaking Out: Easier Said Than Done
On May 9, 2007, CAYA officially launched the book, Speaking Out: Easier Said Than Done, by Rosemary Park.
Rosemary is a highly recognized Speech Language Pathologist who has specialized in the field of Augmentative/Alternative Communication for over 30 years. She has distilled her many years of experience into this book and provided us with the innovative and creative ideas that she uses in her practice.
Rosemary has graciously allowed this book to be published and distributed free of charge to specialists working in the field of AAC in the public education and health systems of British Columbia. Response to the publication of this book has been overwhelmingly positive, exhausting the first publication run. We are planning a second printing with wider distribution in early 2008.
Building Community for Young Adults Using AAC
Group activities have been flourishing around the province. Cool Communicator groups have been meeting in Nanaimo and Victoria. A wonderful BBQ was hosted mid island and fifteen Clients and their families and friends attended. A “Chat Course” was conducted in the spring and seven clients attended seven weekly sessions where they learned to use their Vanguards. This fall a group of young adults began meeting in the lower mainland and are forming their own version of Cool Communicators – name to be determined, stay posted for details.
Community Partners
