Fw: Aubrey McKenzie-Augmentative Communication Device/Evaluation Progress

[Guest guest]

Aloha All,Just in you are advocating for the same...thought provoking stuff...school stalled yet again so I filed oral and written complaint with district this morning. I'm in "Warrior Mom" mode early this year! IMUA!!! (Go forward!)Desi (mom to Aubrey, 13, Down syndrome tr21, PDDNOS mildly hearing impaired) Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 10:04 AM Subject: Aubrey McKenzie-Augmentative Communication Device/Evaluation Progress

Good

morning,

I

am requesting a written update on the progress of Aubrey McKenzie's

Augmentative Communication Evaluation as we all agreed upon as

extremely necessary in her last IEP.

Teacher verbally shared minimal information once, many months ago,

regarding whom is conducting this evaluation but no further

communication regarding evaluation/use of device has been shared

verbally or in writing. We expected to see a written evaluation from

the district evaluator months ago.

Overall,

information regarding Aubrey's communication device has been

very vague from school and this is very disheartening considering

that this is such a critical component of Aubrey's total

communication development. Thankfully, I was able to

briefly observe Aubrey using the itouch/Proloquo2go system with which

appeared to be-success, in school after visiting for a student book

reading party several months ago.

Prior

to Aubrey's attendance at ___ ____ School a

communication device crossed into the home/community. I do not

understand why we have gone backwards here? Please advise!

Please

note that I did send Intermediate school a previous

email inquiring as to why the device-which enables Aubrey to

communicate with those who are not able to understand her speech or

sign-has not been crossing to home and community as yet-with no

response.

Please

note the following:

Aubrey

is very bright, and has been taught by all of us to be confident and

assertive and thus-one of her greatest strengths is that she has so

much to "say!"

Aubrey's

Mother and sibling, whom have taken years of sign language and

continue to develop our sign language vocabulary, are not able to

understand Aubrey at least 25 percent of the time when she

speaks/signs. This is extremely frustrating for all of us in our

family but especially for Aubrey herself!

We

also believe that if Aubrey was able to communicate more effectively

with our family and DOE Parent Trainer/STs supporting her events-we

ALL might understand more readily from Aubrey HERSELF, WHY she is

compelled to i.e. strike out bodily (or even PREEMPT physical

behaviors) as she did this past Sunday on the soccer field when she

kicked her buddy is in the shin. We guess motivation

and try to address it. I believe that if Aubrey has the option to COMMUNICATE WHY she is frustrated we can curb physical expression of frustration.

As

stated previously, we believe that many of Aubrey's inappropriate

behaviors with DOH care personnel who do not sign-could have been

avoided (and will be avoided in the future) if she was able

to use communication device to communicate her basic human needs and

emotions. This

lack of communication is making it much harder for our family to have

appropriate RESPITE opportunities when coupled with Aubrey's health

needs!

Aubrey

is missing out on critical socialization development opportunities

when she is not able to communicate with members of her extended

family and community who do not sign at all and so desire to interact

with her and especially vice-versa! The

longer this goes on, the longer she will feel isolated from friends

and family.

Outside

of her teacher and interpreters for the most part, the rest of us

are GUESSING what Aubrey is trying to say to us when Aubrey exhausts

her say/sign abilities and is thus being denied meaningful

participation in her own life! This is a denial of Aubrey's

basic human rights and at this point-is perceived to be

disrespectful from our family's perspective; for every day that goes

by Aubrey is missing out on critical learning and interactive

opportunities with her world.

I

am once again requesting the appropriate school and/or district

personnel to answer the critical questions posed in this email

regarding communication device in writing as soon as possible.

Mahalo!

Desi

McKenzie

for

Aubrey McKenzie