Betwal’s journey with AAC
Betwal is a Grid Pad 16 user from the Marshall Islands who now lives and works in Seattle, Washington. His AAC journey began at The Kent School District’s Outreach Program, a service that supports young adults (aged 18-21) with special educational needs, in their transition from school to adult living and work. When he first joined the program, Betwal didn’t have a reliable way to communicate, but from the moment he started working with a speech therapist, it was clear he had a strong drive to engage more with the world around him. With support from his team, Betwal became one of the first people in the US to use a Grid Pad 16 communication aid. Watch the video below to find out how accessing AAC has opened doors to greater independence, broader connection, and professional opportunities for Betwal. Now using the text-based vocabulary Alpha Core, Betwal has flourished as a communicator. He confidently programmes new responses for frequently asked questions he gets from coworkers and customers at his job. His manager, Jennifer, has seen a remarkable transformation: “Since getting his eye gaze device, Betwal’s confidence has grown exponentially. He’s more outgoing than ever.” Carey Pease, Betwal’s Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)“He smiles a lot more. He feels more independent. And just the idea of this independence has opened up so many doors for him that he didn’t realize could ever be opened.”
