#AACUsers, if you are interested in participating in #AAC research, please join our research email distribution list: lnk.to/rlist. You will be first to know about studies paving the way to a better future for our community. Support persons are also welcome to sign up. 📷: @affecttheverb.com/… 1/2

The IDEA turned 50 earlier this year. It has guaranteed access to #AAC, therapy, aides, & our right to be educated alongside people without #disabilities. In the year ahead, tell your representatives the future you want to see for the IDEA. Resource here: lnk.to/adv101. [Video: Ricardo… (1/2)

It’s the season for sharing! Introduce us to someone new by tagging them in a comment, & we will enter you in our holiday giveaway. You could win a #CommunicationRights shirt of your choice from our Threadless shop. A winner will be randomly selected at the end of New Year’s Day. [Image: A… (1/2)

People who cannot rely on speech alone to be heard & understood must fight for their #rights. We help our community do just that. Help us start 2026 strong. Everyone who donates from December 15 - 31, 2025 will receive a CommunicationFIRST coaster! lnk.to/endyr [Image: Text reads,… (1/2)

It’s the season for sharing! Introduce us to someone new by tagging them in a comment, & we will enter you in our holiday giveaway. You could win a #CommunicationRights shirt of your choice from our Threadless shop. A winner will be randomly selected at the end of New Year’s Day. [Image: A… (1/2)

Interested in #PolicyAdvocacy? Want to find out how to influence policy? Check out our Policy Advocacy 101 Webinar: lnk.to/adv101. Learn tips and strategies from Angelica Vega, Samuel Habib, and more experts who advocate for #PolicyChange at all levels of #government. [Video: Angelica Vega… (1/2)

#JudyHeumann's 78th birthday would have been this week. We remember her commitment to #DisabilityRights by sharing Bob Williams’ See Us, Hear Us film, where Judy appears at 10:33. The film challenges us to create a world with disability rights as the norm. lnkfi.re/bsuhu [Video: A montage... (1/3)

Your support means the universe to us as we work to create a more just society for people with speech-related #disabilities. Please consider CommunicationFIRST in your year-end giving. We need your support to achieve our vision! lnk.to/endyr. Thank you! 📷 @affecttheverb.com… (1/2)

Our Board Member Toby Latham successfully advocated with the Virginia legislature to require educators to be trained to support each individual student’s unique #AAC-related needs before the school year starts! The VDOE released this 2-pager to explain the new law: lnk.to/vdoe. [Image: A… (1/2)

We are so grateful for all the #GivingTuesday donations we’ve received in the past few days! Your support helps us keep fighting for the rights of people with speech-related #disabilities. If you haven’t given yet, please consider supporting us this week. lnk.to/givingt 📷: #VisibleAAC... (1/3)

Our #GivingTuesday fundraiser! lnk.to/givingt

CommunicationFIRST is committed to ensuring that all people with speech-related disabilities are respected, supported, & valued members of their communities. Consider including communication advocacy in your #GivingTuesday plans; donate any amount you can: lnk.to/givingt [Image: In a… (1/2)

Just in time for your holiday shopping: Jordyn’s shirt is back! At this link only until 12/4: lnk.to/shpc. Give a gift that supports communication #advocacy. #SpeechDoesNotMakeSomeoneMoreHuman @jordynbzim.bsky.social [Image: Jordyn Zimmerman sits smiling on a rooftop bench, wearing a… (1/2)

We’re still processing the crushing news about the passing of CommunicationFIRST friend and Advisory Council member #AliceWong. We were made better by her work. Read about some of her #AAC and communication-disability-related activism and legacy here: lnk.to/alicew @sfdirewolf.bsky.social... 1/2

Welcome our new Director of Policy & Legal Advocacy, Sam Crane! Sam is a Harvard-trained lawyer with particular legal & policy experience in #CommunicationRights, long-term supports & services, & supported decision-making as an alternative to guardianship. lnk.to/crane @samanticka.bsky.social 1/2

We love showcasing our community in our #VisibleAAC photo bank. Any #AACUser who wants to share a photo of yourself &/or your #AAC, email [email protected] with PHOTOS in the subject line, or you can hashtag #VisibleAAC if you post. You may appear in our comms efforts! [Image: Bob… 1/3

With mixed feelings, we share that our co-founder Bob Williams is retiring from an incredible 4-decade career serving the #DisabilityCommunity. His tireless, principled advocacy has changed lives, & CommunicationFIRST wouldn't exist without his leadership. lnk.to/retiring (1/2)

It’s been 100 years since DC’s #ForestHaven institution for people with I/DD opened. Watch our webinar on its closure, featuring two former residents & our own Bob Williams, an advocate for #CommunityLiving & the #Medicaid programs that make it possible. lnk.to/fhyt [Video: Webinar… (1/2)

Our Board Chair Jordyn Zimmerman advocates that people who need & use AAC must be leaders & co-designers of AAC technologies. She writes about this in Impact, a journal from the Institute on Community Integration. She's featured in its 40 Big Ideas issue! lnk.to/bigidea @jordynbzim.bsky.social 1/2

We'd like to extend a big thank you to everyone who participated in our #ArtificialIntelligence webinar! Whether or not you could make it, please take this short survey to help us gauge what you know about #AI & how tools like AI shape your communication: lnk.to/aisurvey. [Image: A swirl of… (1/2)

#AI has much potential for people who need & use #AAC – potential that could be good, bad, & ugly. Wednesday learn more in this webinar with Purdue's Dr. Rua Mae Williams, author of Disabling Intelligences: Legacies of Eugenics & How We Are Wrong About AI. lnk.to/ai101 @fractalecho.bsky.social 1/3

From the team behind The Ride Ahead comes a new educational webinar series, Our Ride Ahead! Check out their upcoming webinars for disabled youth on dating, relationships, romance, and sexual health: rideaheadfilm.com/webinars. Part 1 will take place on October 24 at 7pm ET to discuss... (1/4)

Sign up for our 10/22 webinar with Dr. Rua Mae Williams, titled "AI 101 for AAC Users:" lnk.to/ai101. Rua will be joined by Board members Jordyn Zimmerman & Godfrey Nazareth to discuss potential impacts of #AI for people who need and use #AAC. @fractalecho.bsky.social @jordynbzim.bsky.social (1/3)

Our Advisory Council Member #AliceWong appeared on a #Radiolab episode called #Voice! Listen for her amazing insights and a shoutout to CommunicationFIRST (1:00:48): lnk.to/rlab. Alice starts speaking at 00:32:47 and 00:58:45. Transcript here: lnk.to/rlabt. @sfdirewolf.bsky.social 📷 Photo… (1/2)

Our truly amazing supporters and the #AAC community have had our back for SIX years! Help us reach our 6th birthday celebratory fundraising goal by week’s end: lnk.to/pledge. We’ve got $7.2k out of $10k remaining to ensure we can keep fighting for communication #equity. … (1/2)

The work we do to advocate for people with speech-related #disabilities is more important than ever. To celebrate SIX years of hard work, we want to raise $10k by 10/10, our 6th birthday. Share our birthday #fundraiser far and wide so we can meet our goal! lnk.to/pledge [Video: Bob... (1/3)

We’ve spent the last SIX years advocating for everyone with communication #AccessNeeds, such as those from #autism, #aphasia, & any other #disability. In celebration, we want to raise $10k by 10/10, our 6th birthday. Please join our b-day fundraiser today! lnk.to/pledge [Video: Short… (1/2)

Last call: take our short survey if you haven't yet! lnk.to/env We want to know your thoughts on #BlueEnvelope programs, programs aimed to reduce misunderstanding between drivers with disabilities & police in a traffic stop. We've been asked what we think about them. [Image description: A…

We spent much of summer rallying. Our Co-Founder Bob Williams gave this address at a 60-Hour #ProtectMedicaid Vigil: lnk.to/prtct. As #Medicaid policy battles continue, try to remind yourself: no matter what is done, can be undone. Keep fighting the good fight with us! 📷: Photo by… (1/2)

We interviewed Board member Lateef McLeod about his dissertation on #PeerMentorship for people who need & use #AAC. It confirmed the importance of mentorship by us & for us, & of co-creating mentorship spaces #accessible to people who use a variety of AAC. lnk.to/aacphd [Image: Lateef… (1/3)

People with #disabilities don’t want to live in #institutions. Two survivors of #ForestHaven, an infamous D.C. institution, told their stories during our webinar: lnk.to/fhweb. Hear from Ricardo and Donna Thornton on one of the worst US cases of #InstitutionalAbuse. [Video: A panel of Zoom… (1/3)

Critically important information, wonderful to see the complete special issue is now freely available! See link in original post

The journal of #AugmentativeAndAlternativeCommunication published papers from our Future of #AACResearchSummit! Nearly all of the 21 papers are authored or co-authored by someone who uses #AAC. Access these papers & watch many of the authors present here: lnk.to/aacfr. 📷: Photo by Steven Sutfin 1/2

#TheRideAhead made its New York premiere at @docnycfest.bsky.social presented in partnership with ReelAbilities. Now, the film is available to stream for FREE on PBS through September 19! Stream The Ride Ahead: rideaheadfilm.com/watchpbs Watch the full Q&A: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdTq...

Please let us know what you think about #BlueEnvelope programs here: lnk.to/env (by 9/29). We were asked what we think of these programs, which are designed to reduce misunderstanding between drivers with #disabilities and police during traffic stops. [Image: A police car with lights… (1/1)

"Blue Envelope" programs have been created in some states and counties to try to reduce misunderstanding between drivers with disabilities and police, during traffic stops. @communicationfirst.bsky.social created a survey to hear what you think about these programs: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Grant Blasko is 22 years old, autistic, a full-time user of AAC, and a university student. His paper, “Unveiling underlying systemic isolation challenges for AAC users”, is free at doi.org/10.1080/0743... @communicationfirst.bsky.social @isaacinternational.bsky.social @ussaac.bsky.social

endever* describes their “meaningful participation in society as a semispeaking AAC user, the importance of self-determination and interdependence, and the critical role of participatory research.” Free at AAC journal doi.org/10.1080/0743... @communicationfirst.bsky.social @ussaac.bsky.social

Jordyn Zimmerman calls for “a more user-centered design approach across the board—where AAC users are not merely participants, but leaders…” Free at doi.org/10.1080/0743... @communicationfirst.bsky.social @ussaac.bsky.social @isaacinternational.bsky.social

CommunicationFIRST was thrilled and honored to help our amazing partner @Little Lobbyists help celebrate its 8th birthday this morning with House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi! #CancelTheCuts #ProtectMedicaid

Ren Koloni (2025): "...the vast majority of people who cannot rely on speech alone to be heard and understood still lack meaningful access to effective communication...” Free at AAC Journal doi.org/10.1080/0743... @communicationfirst.bsky.social @ussaac.bsky.social @isaacinternational.bsky.social

Blasko, Light, McNaughton, Williams & Zimmerman: "people who need or use AAC must be leaders and co-creators in all activities that are about them or impact them" Free at AAC journal doi.org/10.1080/0743... @communicationfirst.bsky.social @isaacinternational.bsky.social @ussaac.bsky.social

Pancho Ramirez (2025) describes his evolving use of AAC, and the importance of supporting communication with family members (in multiple languages!) Now free at the AAC journal doi.org/10.1080/0743... @communicationfirst.bsky.social @ussaac.bsky.social @isaacinternational.bsky.social

Bob Williams (2025) describes how “Access to language-based communication and literacy tools is essential to safeguarding and securing human and civil rights” Free at AAC journal doi.org/10.1080/0743... @communicationfirst.bsky.social @isaacinternational.bsky.social @ussaac.bsky.social

Register now for the next CommunicationFIRST webinar on June 26: Policy Advocacy 101 for #AAC Users and Allies - featuring @jordynbzim.bsky.social, Bob Williams, Angelica Vega, Dean Strauss, Toby Latham, and Samuel Habib! us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi... #DisabilityRights

Tools, scripts & templates for contacting Congress & planning actions: Disability & Ally Phonebank, tinyurl.com/DisabilityAllyPhonebank Medicaid Defense Hub, aapd.com/Medicaid Hands Off Medicaid, dredf.org/hands-off-our-medicaid Direct Action Guide, longcovidjustice.org/direct-action-resources

#ProtectMedicaid! U.S. House committees have voted to cut $715 billion from Medicaid and $300 billion from SNAP, and the budget bill is now headed to the Senate. This would be the largest cuts ever made to these programs - in order to pay for tax cuts to the wealthy!

Who was Devva? Wonder why people feel disability pride? This series of free online events honoring our late Advisory Council member starts tonight (May 14) at 7:00 ET US time. Register here: us06web.zoom.us/.../reg.../d.... More info: iloveyou-leadon.com/devva/?utm_s....

My daughter’s speech therapist went out of business because Medicaid reimbursement rates were too low. We do not have Medicaid. I’m going to keep posting this until people understand that when Medicaid gets cut *everyone* loses services.

Excellent reporting here by North Jersey. When residents are denied access to the communication tools and supports they need to communicate effectively, the institution dehumanizes them even further. #AAC #AACForAll #PrioritizeCommunication www.northjersey.com/story/news/w...