A group of people within an organisation called ISAAC (International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication) have been trying to discredit Facilitated Communication (FC) for many years.
The ISAAC Organisation decided to put out a position paper on FC and they put together a group of researchers most of whom did not believe in FC.
Lots of people around the world provided evidence in favour of FC but this was all ignored.
The position paper was accepted by ISAAC and will be published soon.
Mum and Dad put a lot of time and effort into their submission and are now thinking about what comes next.
There are literally thousands of FC users around the world who are feeling threatened by the ISAAC decision.
I say that we cannot allow ISAAC or anyone else to take away our voices. This blog may help you to understand more about FC.
While Mum and Dad have been focussed on the ISAAC research it has not been possible to prepare the videos for this blog. They and I hope you will understand.
About the Videos
I remember the early days with Matt. It was difficult for me and no doubt for him. Then things got easier as we became used to each other. After a few sessions Matt started to fade up my hand wrist and arm.These videos show the process and how Matt would explain things to me. I hope you find them both illuminating and entertaining.
Transcript - Part A. (Click here for link to video.)
Ben:
Typing is going to be dodgy today.
Matt:
What makes you say it’s going to be dodgy today? You know, your typing actually is beautiful
today.
Ben:
Typing this way is fine, but hard when you touch shoulder.
Matt:
Hmm. So what are you thinking
about today? Do you want me to go back to the shoulder and challenge
yourself? Or …
Ben:
Sometimes.
Matt:
Well, you just let me know like you usually do. Then I’ll come back. It’s good to have a mix of both, hey. One of them is like – when you need fast
communication – fine. If you’ve got
something that you want to write. Or
you’ve got something in your head that needs to get out – that’s fine.
Tell me something .
Is it something that’s important to you – like, typing with a touch on
the shoulder? Or not?
Ben:
It is, but it’s hard.
Especially when I need to think lots about what I am typing.
Matt:
That makes sense, you know.
That makes a lot of sense.
Ben:
Do you think I could get past shoulder?
Matt:
Yeah, I do. I think
you’ve done past shoulder before. Like,
that is past shoulder. That’s back
touch. You’ve had back touch before.Transcript - Part B. (View video below.)
Ben:
So where to after back?
Matt:
Well, in fading, it’s either going down or going up. Although … up – towards your head – looks
daggy. Something about someone putting
their hand on your head, looks daggy.
But apart from that someone was telling me there’s also a spot, like,
lower down which is something to do with nerves and something to do with
proprioception and kinaesthesia …
Ben:
Oh, do you want to try it?
Matt:
It’s not up to me. We
can give it a go, but I don’t think it’s about being “ooh, we’re going to start
off here”. It’s about, when your typing
is holding your focus, OK, so that you’ve got a rhythm started within your
typing, and then that helps you to keep that rhythm going when I don’t give as
much touch support. Alright?
So I can ask you that question. “Oh, do you want to try it? What do you think?
Ben:
Sure, but I may get crabby.
Matt:
What do you want me to do if you get crabby?
Ben:
I want you to tell me to keep going.
(While Ben is typing this line, Matt fades physical support to waist.)
Matt:
Look where I was.
Well done.
Cathie:
Ben. That was fantastic!
Ben:
Really cool!
Matt:
OK. So see how my job
is to work out when you are firing on all cylinders – when you are going great
with your movement. That’s what’s
happening. I noticed it straight from
the go today. That’s good.
Get in a good position.
Make it easy on yourself. That’s
the way.
Ben:
Do you think I can do it again?
Matt:
I know you can do it again.
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