story by David Hoffman
Earlier this semester, students, faculty and alumni of Georgia State’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders spent a weekend volunteering with Camp SPEAK, an overnight camp for families with children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
Debra Schober-Peterson, clinical professor and director of clinical education, and her graduate students and alumni volunteers spent the weekend paired with campers who use AAC, which can include gestures, speech-generating devices and manual signs.
Volunteers worked with campers to do all the activities you would expect out of an overnight camp – including crafts, archery, rock climbing, and swimming – all while gaining experience and learning more about individuals who use AAC.
As the weekend went on, the graduate students spent more time with their camper’s families, where they learned more about what it’s like to use AAC and how AAC affects their surrounding community. CSD student Peyton Davidek shared how the camp put into perspective the purpose of AAC and programs like Camp SPEAK.
“One of the supervisors there mentioned that the goal of doing this is to communicate and not to use the devices,” she said. “I feel like people lose sight of that because they focus on these expensive speech generation devices when that’s not necessarily the only way for people with AAC to communicate.”
Before her time at Camp SPEAK, Davidek’s experience with those who used AAC was limited to the classroom. After some well-spent time with her camper and their family, she gained a greater appreciation for the work that Camp SPEAK and its families put into helping those part of this community, and how they encourage campers to bond with each other.
“I loved getting to learn more about their experiences and the dynamic between AAC users when creating new friendships,” she shared.
Before volunteering at Camp SPEAK, CSD student Alexa Jackson didn’t have much experience with those who used AAC devices. However, she saw it as a good opportunity to meet new people and immerse herself in the type of work she hopes to do as a speech-language pathologist.
“Over the course of a few days, my camper and I learned some short-hand techniques to use with each other,” she said. “It was fun to see their methods of communication through their devices as well as other creative means to communicate.”
A big takeaway for Jackson was how AAC usage could still be improved upon. As she spent time with her camper, she became inspired to continue working with those who use AAC.
“It was eye-opening to see the challenges the person using AAC and their family face. Everyone has a human right to communicate, yet these families lose that right unless they advocate for themselves daily,” said Jackson. “We need to create environments where communication differences can be recognized and understood.”
Jackson hopes to volunteer with Camp SPEAK again next year as she works toward becoming a speech-language pathologist. “Participating in Camp SPEAK was only the beginning of my path to working with those who use AAC.”