Who is Ms. B mad at? iTouch lets her ID the culprit

They all assumed Ms. B was mad at the dog. It had jumped on her while Cousin N was carrying her from the car to the house. Ms. B doesn't say a lot--she only has a few words, in fact--so it isn't always easy to get information about what's happening with her. Are you mad at the dog? various family members asked. Who are you mad at? the dog?

Cousin N went back to the car and got Ms. B's new iTouch. Ms. B has had communication devices before, but nothing with the kind of power that this new one has, with its many menus that branch off and allow her to communicate so much more than the old static systems where someone could program 16 buttons, or a few more, and that was that.

Cuz N helpfully chose the menu that says Yes No Maybe and the family again asked if Ms. B was mad at the dog. Ms. B scrolled back and found the menu she wanted. No dog on it. She pushed the button for Cuz N. You're mad at Cousin N? Yes.

Cuz N had refused to get Ms. B's jacket out of the car, deciding she didn't really need it. To her immense credit, Cuz N now went back and got the jacket. Ms. B had been heard.

Assistive technology (AT) can be a powerful thing. From something as simple as adding a switch to a child's toy so the child can activate it by him or herself, to a reminder system for someone to use on the job to remember the order of tasks, to a more maneuverable wheelchair, to a sophisticated communication device, AT gives people more independence.

Sherwood's expanded AT program, TechSTEP, has worked with Ms. B and others to help them find their voice. The results are amazing. If you're in the area, stop by for a tour, or contact us at 425.334.4071 to learn more.

Thanks to the Nysether Family Foundation and the Target Foundation for grant support for TechSTEP. We're all excited about having this service for people in Snohomish County!