Advocacy – AAC Community

AAC speech bar with message: I should be seen and heard. African American symbol Stix.

AAC Awareness Month: Diversity, Access, and Representation

This year, October feels especially important. The US is getting ready for the presidential election and people with disabilities are looking for ways to vote safely during a pandemic. We continue to grapple with the challenges posed by racial inequity.…

Campus building on a brick background with text: College and AAC.

College & AAC

AAC users can be found in many professional fields. They may be writers, physicists, computer scientists, or social workers. Some of these areas require a college education. We invited Mark Steidl to share with us some of the strategies he…

Complex Communication Needs and Safety

The world feels very unpredictable these days. It is urgent, especially under the current circumstances, that we keep our non-speaking adults from having adverse interactions out in the community. Ongoing unrest may combine with ableist assumptions to make adults with…

Core board featuring 60 high frequency words and associated icons. 10 additional words at the bottom feature fringe vocabulary related to COVID-19. TechOWL and Institute on Disabilities at Temple University branding at the bottom of image.

Covid-19 Core Communication Boards: A Free Resource for Medical Communication

Updated 03/25/20 to include a User Guide (below) Imagine landing in the hospital and being unable to communicate. It is important that we are ALL able to talk with our doctors and medical providers. Especially now with the challenges of COVID-19, we need to find the…

Computer screen showing Zoom meeting participants

AAC MeetUps Online: Together at a Distance

At TechOWL, we have a monthly meetup for people who use augmentative communication. Many of our past ACES participants have become regulars. Each month, we look forward to learning new tech, troubleshooting device challenges, and talking AAC. We are now…

Poster with dates of AAC Meet Ups 2020 and picture of AAC users on a background of chocolate chip cookies

AAC Community 2020

At the risk of sounding sentimental, I cannot believe the year is drawing to a close! We have so much to do in advance of 2020. Many projects are in the works at TechOWL, such as webinars and trainings, to…

FLyer with information about ACES 2020. Learn more at TechOWLpa.org.

ACES 2020: 30 Years of Communication and Community

TechOWL is excited to announce the dates for ACES 2020! Join us July 25-August 7, 2020 to create, connect, and celebrate! ACES, Augmentative Communication Empowerment Supports, is a 2-week intensive training program and on-campus experience at Temple University for young adults…