By
Pamela Lajvardi, Alex's
Mom
Alex was
two years old when he started losing his language skills as
well as other developmental milestones. Months later, he was
diagnosed with Autism. After eighteen months of intense effort
at teaching him sign language, with minimal progress, we
turned to PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), which
dramatically improved his ability to communicate his wants and
needs.
At age five, Alex was still nonverbal and we decided to
try an Augmentative Communication Device (AAC). After a
lengthy wait period, Alex was evaluated and a device was
recommended based on his needs and abilities. Then began the
lengthy process of determining who would pay the nearly
$10,000 price tag. Should it be the family, private insurance,
the public schools, or the Department of Developmental
Disabilities?
Eventually we received our device, and after our
initial excitement, the limitations of the system became
evident. It was cumbersome, heavy, and fragile. The pictures
were not easily identifiable for Alex, as he had significant
visual processing problems. While it provided another avenue
of communication, it fell far short of our expectations.
Talking with other parents who were using similar devices with
their children, we realized that we were not alone in our
frustration.
My husband Fredi and I began to imagine
what an ideal system would look like. The ideal system would
be more versatile so that pictures could be customized. If
desired, photographs of specific items rather than generic
figures could be uploaded. The format of the pages could be
altered as needed. The AAC would not be device dependent, but,
instead, would be a system that could be accessed on a variety
of computer operating systems. Finally, the cost would not be
so prohibitive that it discourages families from trying an AAC
system, and insurance companies and schools would be more
willing to fund it.
While Alex was the inspiration, my
husband, Fredi, was the ignition for the process that developed
into Alexicom Tech. After exploring the technical
possibilities and becoming convinced that there was no reason
why a more effective system could not be developed, he brought
this idea to his friend and work associate Karen Suhm. With a
Ph.D. in Physics and a background in Engineering, Karen had
the skills, persistence, and ingenuity to bring the idea to
its full capacity. Along with the expertise of two speech
pathologists, Staci Neustadt and Marti Baio, Karen made the
system user-friendly and versatile. This talented group of
people turned the idea of a more effective, more accessible
AAC system into a reality that will benefit individuals, families,
schools, medical facilities, group homes and nursing
homes.
We recently beat out DynaVox, the leader in AAC
devices, to provide services to the Phoenix Union High School
District Special Needs Department. A major advantage that
helped win the contract is that with Alexicom Tech, there is
no need to purchase additional computers. Our service is not
device-based; it is internet-based but not internet dependent
due to its off-line publishing capacity.
With Alexicom,
we are able to use pictures that we know Alex can identify and
comprehend. Many autistic children have great difficulty
generalizing from the specific items that they interact with in
their lives to general pictures or symbols. We can use a
photograph of his dog, Kiko, or find a near exact photo of his
red ball on the internet to use in his pages, rather than the
generic pictures that are typically used in communication
boards.
With Alexicom,
we can use a more portable computer at home and in the
community. At school, his communication boards are projected
onto the Smartboard which empowers him to communicate more
during circle time, etc.
Alexicom Tech will continue to
evolve to meet the needs of a diverse population of children
and adults with communication
disorders.
