Talking With Tech AAC Podcast

Rachel and Chris reconnect to share a candid update on what’s been happening behind the scenes with Talking With Tech including changes to the production team, why episodes have been less frequent, and what listeners can expect moving forward. They also share personal and professional updates, including how life has shaped their schedules, what Rachel is building next in her AAC training work, and...

In this episode, Rachel Madel interviews Jesse and Holly Erickson, parents of Bedford, a young child with Schwartz-Jampel syndrome. They share their journey to diagnosis, what it’s like navigating a rare condition with limited research and few clear answers, and the day-to-day realities families face such as unexpected barriers in common environments. They also describe how posts on social media g...

Chris talks with Lynsey Phillips and Brie Norton, two AAC leaders in Northwest Arkansas who have built a powerful, practical framework for AAC implementation across settings. They share how their partnership, spanning private practice and public schools, helped move AAC from isolated “expert-driven” work to a shared responsibility model that includes educators, peers, families, and community partn...

In this episode, Chris & Rachel talk with Bob Sagoo a longtime assistive technology professional and parent advocate. Bob shares the story of his son Harchie, his path from low-tech communication supports to high-tech eye gaze and the Grid ecosystem. Bob shares how Harchie’s drive for speed, independence, and participation (including accessible gaming) shaped the way he thought about AAC. Bob...

This episode, Chris & Rachel interview Britton Payne! Britton Payne is an entertainment attorney who has worked with major studios like Nickelodeon and Warner Bros., and he is also the father of an autistic son. He founded The Autism Scene and created the AUSPEC Awards to promote authentic autistic representation—especially non-speaking AAC users—in children’s animation!   Key Ideas This Week:...

This week, we share Rachel’s interview with Quinn Kelly! Quinn Kelly is a bilingual speech-language pathologist who specializes in working with children who use both AAC and American Sign Language (ASL). She serves on the AAC committee for the New Jersey Speech and Hearing Association and works with Language First, an organization supporting professionals serving deaf and hard-of-hearing students....

This week, we share Chris's interview with Brian Whitmer! Brian is the founder of the AAC app CoughDrop and Open AAC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the AAC field through collaboration, transparency, and open data initiatives. Whitmer discusses his goal of fostering innovation, sharing community insights, and helping the AAC industry move toward more equitable and effective practi...

This week, Chris interviews Katie Roettele! Katie Roettele is an occupational therapist and assistive technology consultant based in Michigan, specializing in AAC and universal design for learning. She is passionate about using STEM and maker tools like Makey Makey and 3D printing to create accessible, hands-on learning experiences and DIY assistive technology!   Key Ideas This Week:   Early and C...

This week, we share Rachel’s interview with Kayla Ireland! Kayla is a podcaster, college student, AAC User, and advocate who lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. She amplifies diverse voices through her shows, shares her personal communication journey, and the value of developing multiple modes of communication!   Key Ideas This Week:   The power of mindset and belief — Rachel shares how her mo...

This week, we share Chris’s interview with Claire O’Connor! Claire O’Connor is a speech-language pathologist and first-year PhD student at the University of Maryland. Her research focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and AAC, exploring how tools like ChatGPT can support AAC users better.   Before the interview, Melissa, surprises him with news that his Assistive Technology t...

In this episode of  Talking with Tech, Chris is interviewed by Adina Malamut, a graduate student and Employee Accessibility Specialist at the University of Texas at Dallas. Their conversation explores Adina’s professional background, her passion for accessibility, and her role in facilitating workplace accommodations. Chris shares insights from his extensive experience in assistive technology, dis...

In this episode, Christina Schmidt discusses the critical role of cultural competency in AAC, emphasizing the need to honor linguistic and cultural diversity, such as African American English, within communication systems. She highlights the importance of clinicians addressing their own implicit biases and taking a thoughtful, reflective approach when working with families. Christina encourages pr...

In this episode, Rachel Madel and Chris Bugaj recap their experiences at ATIA 2025, highlighting the value of community-building during the pre-conference and the growing impact of generative AI in AAC and assistive technology. They discuss exciting new tools like Symbol Creator AI and Flex Speak , and reflect on key sessions around policy advocacy, emphasizing the power of personal stories in inf...

This week, we share Chris and Rachel’s Q&A session with Professor Danielle Reed and her students at Midwestern University. They discuss interdisciplinary collaboration, the importance of mindset in AAC implementation, how occupational therapists can work effectively with speech-language pathologists, and more!   Before the interview, Chris and Rachel touch on Chris’s experience teaching AAC to...

This week, we Share Chris’s interview with Saffron Murphy-Mann, Helen Hewson, and Andrea Sharples! Saffron Murphy-Mann is a specialist AAC teacher with a background in music, working in both mainstream and specialist settings to support young AAC users in accessing education and demonstrating their knowledge. Helen Hewson is an AAC user born with cerebral palsy, who has been using various forms of...

This week, we present our TWT Live episode, “Vibes of AAC”! TWT Live episodes include interactions with the audience, including feedback and questions. This week, Chris and Rachel discuss the critical role of modeling language for AAC users, emphasize the importance of coaching communication partners, and highlight the significance of fostering a mindset that supports literacy for all children!  ...

This week, Chris interviews Dr. May Aguis! Dr. Aguis is a speech and language therapist with the National Assistive Technology Team in Malta!, She is also involved with the World Health Organization as a member of their Assistive Technology Advisory Group, and serves as a lecturer at the University of Malta. Dr. Aguis shares about her doctoral work with AAC and her efforts to train teachers and de...

This week, we share Chris’s interview with Dr. Sam Brydon! Dr. Sam Brydon is a speech-language pathologist and researcher based in New Zealand who works with Torque Link, a nonprofit that conducts AAC assessments and provides support and training across the country. She balances this role with efforts to disseminate her doctoral research, which focuses on coaching and professional development for...

This week, we share Chris’s interview with Ceanna MacGregor and Melanie Boyd! Ceanna is an AAC specialist and teacher working with CALL Scotland, an organization that supports staff and pupils in overcoming barriers related to assistive and communication technologies. Melanie Boyd is an AAC consultant who runs her own consultancy called Communication Angel. Melanie's career shift into AAC was insp...

This week, Chris interviews Owen McGirr ( enaboapps.com ), a software developer who is a passionate advocate for accessibility in technology! Living with cerebral palsy and using adaptive switches himself, Owen has dedicated his career to creating tools that empower people with disabilities. His innovations include apps like Switchify ( switchifyapp.com ), which allows users to control Android dev...

This week, we share Part 2 of Chris and Rachel’s TWT Live episode recorded at the 2024 Arkansas Speech and Hearing Association! In this half of the episode, they share about modeling, teaching AT tools, strategies to support language development, and more!   Before the interview, Rachel shares about her experience teaching her grandmother to use a screen reader to regain independence despite visio...

This week, we share Part 1 of Chris and Rachel’s TWT Live episode recorded at the 2024 Arkansas Speech and Hearing Association! The episode touches on several topics, including using AI to analyze language from Gestalt Language Processors, getting buy in from teachers, and more!   Before the interview, Chris and Rachel discuss the some of the controversy surrounding “revoicing,”which involves a co...

In this episode of Talking with Tech, Chris, Melissa, and Maggie Bugaj reflect on the  Disney+ movie Out of My Mind! This film centers around a young AAC user with cerebral palsy, and has sparked a lot of conversations about AAC online.  The Bugaj family talks about how we can take the popularity of this movie to continue and share the message of inclusive education and support for AAC!   1. Presu...

This week, we share Chris’s interview with Kristen Hughes and Amy Kennedy! Kristen and Amy both work for Baldwin County Public Schools; Kristen as a speech-language pathologist and Amy as a special education resource consultant. Kristen is also a parent of a six-year-old son who uses AAC. Kristen is transitioning into a new role as an AAC specialist within her school district, and she wanted to as...

This week, Chris and Rachel share about NotebookLM.google.com , an AI website that will do things like create an actual “podcast episode” about an uploaded document or webpage! Chris and Rachel share some of the things they have created with this tool and ideas about how to quickly create engaging materials for your students.   Key Ideas this Week:   🔑 AI-generated content for educational purpose...