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Echo/Citizen Article
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Hi, we're Lucy and Kat!
Kat is a specialist AAC Speech and Language Therapist and Lucy is an AAC Systems Developer, and we both work in the Speech and Language Therapy department at the National Star College near Cheltenham.
The National Star College is an independent specialist College of further education for young adults with physical disabilities or acquired brain injuries. The College has just launched the Star Appeal to raise £15.4million to vastly improve the facilities and make it an even MORE inclusive, innovative and inspirational place to study and work. (more information at www.starappeal.org)
Many of the students that we work with have little, nil or very disordered speech, and so they use communication aids (AAC devices - AAC stands for Alternative Augmentative Communication). These communication aids respond to button or switch presses (and some even to eye movement) and produce digitised speech as a form of communication. Some of the communication aids can also be programmed to learn infra-red signals and control the users' environment (such as TVs, telephones, doors, lights, windows, etc.).
In order to raise money, we needed to come up with a unique idea that would inspire people to ask more questions about the college, about our work and about communication aids. One dare from a communication aid user later and our fundraising idea was born...
Use communication aids for one week. No talking allowed, we are to use them as our students would, as our only means of speaking. We have to use them at work, at home, with our friends, family, collegues and students, on the phone, at the supermarket, on public transport, even to say "Goodnight" to our partners at the end of the day, and even to attend Christmas parties and do the Christmas shopping! If we accidentally speak, we are automatically fined (no matter the reason) 50p to put in our 'speak box' in the office.
Lucy will be using her communication aid for 7 days, starting Thursday the 13th of December. She will be using the Say-it! Sam Communicator, very kindly supplied by Possum Controls Ltd (http://www.possum.co.uk/). She will have to buy her bus ticket using it, visit and shop at Stroud Farmers' Market using it, and communicate with her family over the phone and her fiancé at home using it.
Kat will be using her communication aid for 5 days, starting Saturday the 15th of December. She has yet to make a final decision on which communicator to use, but will have to use it to work, shop, and attend her husband's Christmas party!
If you would like to sponsor us, please use the secure payment method on this site or contact us for enquiries on our e-mail address (aac-starappeal@hotmail.co.uk). If you want to donate on behalf of one of us, please put the name of the person you are donating on behalf of in the comment box along with your message. Otherwise, leave it blank or just write a message of support.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor us: National Star College will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
So please sponsor us now!
Thank you all.
Lucy and Kat.
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