want talk about how important have AAC in your language.
language of birth country, of family, big language, so many native speaker, even more second third learned language speaker. but, even that, is language not often seen in robust AAC apps develop by western countries—because not one of big western countries.
there only one robust symbol based (or TTS tbh) AAC app have that language: TD snap.
which mean. must make it work.
how important it is have AAC that fit your needs: right grid size, right motor plan, right access support (switch, eye gaze, etc), right editing, right symbols, right color & color coding & contrast, right everything. n so much of this, actual need, and not preference.
which why there so many english symbol based AAC apps, each with different logic to where words are, how word organized, what symbol use, what editing feature have, all backed by their research & tech development… you get choose. if one app not right for you, have others. sometimes is prefer one over other, but other times is, some apps unusable for you, conflict needs for you, cannot understand it (e.g touch chat for me).
TD snap organization not work for me. core word not enough, fringe word organized not fit way my brain work, n overall not enough words that match own daily life.
but have to make it work. because it between this, or not communicate in words with family & with world in country where everyone speak this language.
so, am deleting everything, all words, all boards, & remake, reorganize. trying make it work. begging make it work. pay no mind how it take tens even hundreds of hours (years in making, still not finished). …it my only option.
n, this lucky case scenario—
people who cannot, or not allowed to, edit their AAC in such big way. people who cannot use that sad one app that contain your language.
or, especially: there languages & speaker of those language who need AAC but have no AAC because there no AAC that support their language.
but that not all. for longest time still not able use AAC in birth country language. because have no voice go along.
want talk about how important have useable voices in AAC in your language.
in gender that reflect you, tone & personality that reflect you, pronunciation & accent & everything that reflect you.
using voice that not used to, already feel like speaking through someone else mouth. very odd feeling—it you speaking, it you communicating, but it coming out of someone else mouth, in their voice, not yours. where yours?
even with voice that like, still take me while fully connect with voice. with voice mere tolerate, always feel discomfort, not fully mine. with voice that opposite who you are?
averse. rather not talk at all.
not willing choice. but physical reaction, recoil, hate, uncomfortable deep under skin, disgust.
between acapella voice group & IOS voices, there maybe 5-6 voices for birth country language, all very gendered, middle age “karen” sounding, robotic unnatural, unclear, hard hear what trying say, tele-announcer tone. 5-6, but somehow all sound same.
and, make no mistake, 5-6 badly made ones. is lots. other languages, have 1, or 2. or none. this, lucky.
so, not communicate with words at all. completely nonverbal all the time, so gestures, noises, grunts, is what left. need parents with 24/7, because other don’t know why not talk, don’t even know can not talk, don’t understand what mean with all these body language noises/-n, by the way, parents is part reason have cPTSD, but have be around them, because nonverbal high support needs, what can you do, what other option you have?. and, still, frequent meltdowns n tantrum—because often no one understand.
have words that cannot use. in language that itself is trauma trigger.
today, found that apple/ios now expanded voices for birth country language. so many now! so many also have enhanced & premium options, that come with ios, no extra cost. so many different personalities, tones, inflections. and, sound so natural.
cried. because. finally may able communicate with words in birth country language again.
don’t know how explain to people who, never had go through forced silence, how important and huge and even life changing this is.
won’t take away communication disability, won’t take away other AAC difficulties, won’t take away trauma, won’t make birth country language any less of trauma trigger, but—
—to all my AAC users who speak language that not commonly supported by robust AAC apps on market. especially those BIPOC, those diaspora and those from the country. those who speak language with few speakers. especially those nonverbal nonspeaking who have no other option. those who cannot type, who can only use symbol base AAC, so effectively stranded without one that support their language. love you all, see you all, even if AAC companies don’t.
