Collaborating for action 2:the AutreachIT project

Dinah Murray and Roger Turner

Long term aim:

Change awarenessso as to

change practice

(see “Collaborating for action 1: Autreach, why, what, and how” for context)

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Basic givens

• Everyone can communicate when they are understood

• Everyone needs to be understood

• Everyone can be understood

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AutreachIT

• Raising awareness of rights to ICT under the law• among autistic people• among their care providers• among the public at large

• Demonstrating the effectiveness of ICT• to autistic people• to their care providers• to the public at large

• Employing autistic people to develop ICT services• for autistic people• for their care providers• for the public at large

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“Not being able to speak is not the same as not having something to say”

[the AutreachIT Manifesto i]

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“Not being able to speak is not the same as not having something to say”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVuoz0s0g6A

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AutreachIT: Pilot Projects

• Voice Output Communication Aids

• Computers with full multimedia and Internet access

• Autreach websites

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AutreachIT proposed projects - VOCA

• VOCA = Voice OutputCommunication Aid

• Two basic sorts +/- real keyboard

• Plus real keyboard has been very expensive until now - Negroponte laptops see below

• You can also get simple key pads with pre-recorded messages.

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For simple key pads with pre-recorded messages

• www.pri-liberator.com (generally more expensive)

• www.inclusive.co.uk (generally less expensive)

• AAC specialists - AAC = Augmentative and Alternative Communication

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Advantages of non-keyboard VOCAs

• Cheap, sturdy, easy

• Being easy to use and easy to program = more likely to be used - staff will not be scared off

- staff will see it’s worth the bother

• Own messages can be instantly delivered

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Disadvantages of non-keyboard VOCAs

• Non-keyboard VOCAs are not fully inclusive

• They don’t access Internet

• They are potentially stigmatising

• They are profoundly limited

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Techno wish-list• Developed by Rosalind Picard of MIT after

extensive consultation with autistic AAC users- Talking word processor with controllable volume audio

output

- Small, portable, not heavy, easy to pick up and carry

- Low power, long battery life

- Reliability: able to survive being dropped

- Low cost (typical cost is $7500-8500)

- Ability to download new pages or overlays made by others via Internet

- The ability to easily network to chat with remotely located friends

- Touch screen option

- Cool-looking, non-medical, non-stigmatizing appearance

- Ability to change colors, sizes of fonts, background contrast depending on needs

How AutreachIT works

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Backpack websites

• Web-based application

• Share web pages instead of emailing attachments

• Track versions, changes, history

• Make pages public to create visible presence for group

• Organizing tools: shared calendar, newsroom, reminders

• Psychological effect of revisable publication

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Autreach website• Pages related to Autreach groups (about 20*)

- Autreach Network, Autreach <your name here>...?

• AutreachIT public pages (about 10*)- includes manifesto i, constitution i, as well as usual

public pages

• AutreachIT private/shared pages (about 50*)- online administration:

• agenda, minutes of formal meetings...• policy documents: conflict of interest, vulnerable adults, ...• register of members, trustee declarations of interests...• letter templates, funding bids, to do list, shared calendar...

- projects, including this presentation - see next slide

* current numbers, from zero 9 months ago, you can help add more...

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Autreach Network i

• A network of autonomous groups, adopting some basic principles(join or start a group and help to define those principles!)

• Not a group or organisation (even an “umbrella” organisation)

• AutreachIT, London ARM, AutreachBB

• Group website(s) can be provided by AutreachIT

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The message "There is no-one who can't be saved!" was found on the beach in Warrnambool Australia by Beatrice Kurmann, Wendy Lawson, and Dinah Murray in November 2001. To us it is a message about emancipation.