At least one-in-six Americans will have a sensory or communication disorder during their lifetime. Many will benefit from Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices and other Assistive Technology (AT).
As you know our whole mission at Cognixion is to unlock speech for hundreds of millions of people worldwide affected by communication disabilities. And our CEO Andreas Forsland takes that mission seriously. Beyond his work at Cognixion he is also a board member of Ability Central, the only foundation exclusively focused on improving communications and information access for individuals who are Deaf and disabled.
Over the past twelve years, Ability Central has given out more than $11.5 million in grants for work on communications disabilities.
More than $4 million in funding has supported AAC training, device enhancement, app creation, and research to establish best practices.
This support has helped at least half a million people who either work with AAC users or who use AAC devices themselves.
These innovative projects are creating new technologies and methodologies that empower AAC users.
“Andreas Forsland embodies the mission of Ability Central to transform the field of communications access,” said Matt Cherry, Director of Philanthropy. “Andreas combines generosity, expertise, and innovation to help people realize their right to receive information and express themselves. We see that not only in the transformative work of Cognixion, but also in his exceptional contributions as a board member at Ability Central.”
Ability Central has just published its annual impact report, showing how its work continues to transform the lives of people with disabilities.
The Ability Central impact report includes the story of William, an AAC user who, thanks to an Ability Central grant, is interning with the Communication Disabilities Access Network (CDAN). William is currently not in school because his district is unable to meet his communication needs.
William presenting at a virtual Communication Disabilities Access Network training.
Image courtesy of Disability Voices United.
William took the internship with CDAN as an opportunity to learn to participate in a team and express his ideas and opinions. He has now presented at multiple trainings and is an active group leader in the Communication Access Connect. His insight and contributions are highly valued. William is a model of how access to communication makes all the difference in how we view individuals with communication differences.
To learn more about the work Ability Central is doing, check out their 2021 impact report, showcasing their programs and their impact on communities of people with disabilities: https://aboutus.abilitycentral.org/ability-central-2021-impact-report/