Can Being Denied Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Cause Lifelong Trauma?

• By: Ren Koloni, MA CommunicationFIRST
• December 30th, 2024
• actually autistic, advocacy, communication, disability rights, emotional regulation, inclusive education, neurodiversity, nonspeaking, trauma, trauma recovery, Winter 2025 Issue
• 294    0

Complex trauma happens when someone feels they are trapped and alone in continuing threatening or unsafe circumstances, like child abuse, war, or racism (World Health Organization, 2019). In situations where a person experiences threats every day, changes occur to the part of the nervous system...

Rights and Challenges for Autistic People with Communication Disabilities in the Legal System

• By: Staff CommunicationFIRST
• July 5th, 2023
• AAC, ableism, accommodations, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, communication, cultural competence, disability rights laws, discrimination, equal access to public services, guardianship, law enforcement, nonspeaking, speech-related disabilities, stereotypes, stigma, Summer 2023 Issue, the legal system
• 4195    1

Police should be the last resort.... I shouldn’t have to call the police if my son is having a meltdown. When I get up in the morning, I say, “Thank God he’s not dead,” and “Thank God I’m not dead.” - Kerima Çevik, activist and parent of a nonspeaking autistic son (Sokol,...