For a while, the only communication skills I was interested in working on were related to spelling. I am proud of my ability to spell on my letter board and device. However I did want to expand my communication further in other ways. One thing I have been doing is working on using my device independently to access Alexa.

On my device I had an Alexa page added. It opens a page of commands the Alexa will respond to. I can use it to play favorite artists, genres, podcasts, and adjust the volume. Neurotypical people often take for granted how much control they have over their environment. Choosing my own music is something I am so excited to do. If you have a non-speaker in your life, I definitely recommend trying to find environmental modifications like this so they can have more options for choice in their day.

While I am grateful to have a lot of people to support me and help out, it is always tough to think about the fact that most people don’t need a support staff to help them with such basic things. Technology like Alexa gives me the chance to feel more in control of my own life. To most, it’s just turning on music and a nice convenience. To me, it’s independence.