Communication is often taken for granted until it’s not there. For me, living with cerebral palsy and a severe speech impairment, the difference between being listened to and being overlooked these days is simple: Augmentative and Alternative Communication and advancing AI-voice technology.
They aren’t devices or luxuries. They are assistive technology that upholds our dignity and are the key to being part of conversations that shape our lives.

Although my relationship with AAC hasn’t always been plain sailing and I’ve had a love-hate connection with it over the years, it’s now clear that with assistive technology improving in accessibility, it is enriching my daily life and helping me educate others about disability and acceptance.

My Voice, On My Terms

Without AAC, my words are often second-guessed. People jump in, finish my sentences, or answer on my behalf. With my SmartBox TalkPad 8, I take back control. I tap, I speak, I’m heard.
AI-voice goes further. Instead of sounding like a machine, I can have a voice that carries personality, warmth, and identity. That’s not a small upgrade, that’s self-expression.

Why This Matters Beyond Me

AAC and AI-voice aren’t just about giving individuals tools. They change how society understands communication:

• Every voice counts: Communication is not limited to spoken words. AAC shows that ideas, humour, and leadership can come through many channels.
• Education and opportunity: In classrooms, AAC allows disabled students to answer, ask, and lead. It builds confidence and inclusion from day one.
• Workplaces and public life: AAC breaks down barriers to employment, advocacy, and representation. When disabled people have tools to communicate, they contribute fully, not partially.
• Changing attitudes: The more AAC and AI-voice are seen, the more they normalise difference. People learn that speech is not the only measure of intelligence.

What Needs to Happen Next

If AAC and AI-voice are to truly shape the future of communication, they must stop being treated as add-ons. That means:

• Investment in access – Every child and adult who needs AAC should get it quickly, without long waits or endless assessments.
• Training and awareness – Schools, organisations, workplaces, and communities must understand how to engage with AAC users.
• Personalisation – AI-voice should give people the chance to sound like themselves, not a one-size-fits-all machine.
• Representation – AAC users should be visible in classrooms, on stages, in the media, in politics. We need to hear these voices.

The Future We Deserve

The future of communication isn’t about technology replacing human voices. It’s about expanding what we mean by ‘voice’ in the first place. AAC and AI-voice carry the potential to make society listen more widely, more fairly, and more humanely.
For me, these tools are the difference between silence and leadership. For the next generation, they can be the difference between being spoken over and being truly heard.
But this future won’t build itself. Access to AAC and AI-voice must be recognised as a right, not a privilege. That means:

• Grassroots action: Share these conversations, challenge old attitudes, and normalise AAC use in everyday life. The more visible it is, the harder it becomes to ignore.
• Policy change: Push for better funding, quicker assessments, and personalised tech through the NHS, schools, hospitality, retail, and workplaces. Delays and one-size-fits-all approaches leave people voiceless.

This is a campaign that needs both individual voices and collective pressure. I’m asking you to stand with me, speak out about it, write about it, raise it in classrooms, offices, and communities. At the same time, call on leaders, educators, and policymakers to make AAC and AI-voice accessible for everyone who needs them.
Together, we can create a society that listens properly, one where no voice is left out of the conversation.