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‘Let Them Have Their Voices’ – A Campaign Empowering Non-SpeakingAutistic Children To Communicate Through iPads
- Autism Digest
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
A new campaign led by a British dad and his autistic son to help non-speaking autistic children find their voices is gaining momentum in the UK and US.
200 free iPads with specialist communication software are being distributed to UK autistic children, enabling them to speak for the very first time.
The campaign is now making its way across the pond to Los Angeles.
The campaign ‘Let Them Have Their Voices’ was launched last Autumn by Dan Harris, founder of the Neurodiversity in Business charity, alongside his autistic non-speaking son Joshie, after discovering that many non-speaking autistic children in the UK were unable to access life-changing technology through the NHS.
So far, they have given away around 200 iPads with specialist communication software (known as ‘Talkers’) which enable non-speaking people to communicate their needs and desires.
This technology – known as Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) – can be used to supplement or replace speech. ‘Talkers’ work by reading aloud the pictures/symbols chosen by the user.
Around 1 in 36 children in the UK is thought to have Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) – a condition that affects a person’s ability to communicate. A significant number of autistic children will never develop spoken language or will remain minimally verbal.
However, unlike children born with hearing impairments, who are routinely provided with hearing aids by the NHS, non-speaking children cannot easily access technology that would give them a voice.
A device equipped with AAC software can cost up to $800, and families of non-speaking disabled children are increasingly being required to cover the cost themselves. This is due to the current NHS guidelines, which allocate funding only to the most critical 10% of cases, with assessment criteria that are prohibitively stringent.
“Communication is a fundamental right, and every child deserves the opportunity to express themselves,” says Dan Harris. “I’ve seen first-hand the incredible impact the AAC device has had on Josh’s life and on our family, and I want all non-speaking autistic children to have access to this life-changing technology as well.”
“We have been inundated with requests for ‘talkers’ from special needs families. The technology is simple and relatively low cost in the grand scheme of things, but for some families, buying it is not an option. Our ultimate goal is to see a change to NHS policy, so that every child who needs help with speaking can find their voice like Joshie did with his ‘talker’.”
The story of “The Joshie-Man”
Joshua Harris, (a.k.a. “The Joshie-Man”), 11, is autistic and non-speaking. He started using his ‘talker’ when he was just 4 years old – and it changed his life completely.
“Until Josh got his ‘talker’, we had very few ways of communicating with him”, says his dad, Dan Harris. “He would be very frustrated because he couldn’t tell us what he needed or wanted, and this was incredibly upsetting both for him and for us. But this device has been transformational – it has unlocked language for him, and we can now have a conversation – the best gift you can give a child and their family!”
‘Let Them Have Their Voice’ in the US
Working with local government, Dan Harris will be expanding the reach of the ‘Let Them Have Their Voice’ campaign internationally when he and Joshie fly to Los Angeles in April for Autism Empowerment Month.
Together, they will distribute talkers to non-speaking autistic children in the LA area to from economically disadvantaged communities who often face barriers to early diagnosis.
In LA, Harris is working in partnership with Infinity Opportunities, led by Enoch Kaz, which provides coaching and consultation to foster a more inclusive world for neurodiverse people. Kaz comments: “As we prepare to host the Olympics, creating a neuroinclusive environment in Los Angeles is more important than ever. By giving the non-speaking children of Los Angeles County the gift of communication, we are unlocking the doors to expression and prosperity for an entire generation who would otherwise be silenced."
How can readers get involved?
Harris, alongside Marissa Webb, co-founder of The Orchid Practice, a speech and language therapy centre, have set up a Go Fund Me page to fundraise for more talkers and a website for families to apply.
Previous media coverage
Contacts
Dan Harris - Founder, Neurodiversity in BusinessPhone: +44 (0) 7392 955 300Email: dan@neurodiversity.org
Enoch Kaz - Founder & CEO, Infinity OpportunitiesPhone: +1 (310) 883-5868Email: enoch@infinityopportunities.com
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