Apple on Saturday posted two new videos on its YouTube channel join in the celebration of Autism Acceptance Month. The two videos feature a young man with autism named Dillan, who is both autistic and non-verbal, as he uses an iPad to communicate with others.
The first video, “Dillan’s Voice,” is narrated by Dillan himself, via an assistive communication app on his iPad. In the video Dillan explains how for most of his life it was impossible to share what he felt with those around him, but by using the iPad, he can speak and conduct conversations with his friends and family.
“…The iPad helps me to see not only my words but to hold onto my thoughts. Having a voice has changed everything in my life. No more isolation…”
The second video, “Dillan’s Past,” feature Dillan’s mom Tami, and his therapist Deborah Spengler, as they discuss Dillan’s Past, and how the iPad has improved his life. Tami says it is “just the most incredible thing ever, to suddenly start to hear your child’s voice.” Before using the iPad to type and communicate, Dillan had a “lonely existence,” where his lack of ability to communicate with his family limited his relationships to his various toy animals.
“Without a voice, people only see my autism, and not the real me. People all need a voice, not only so that they be heard, but to be understood and known.”
One of the apps used by Dillan in the video, Proloquo4Text, is a text‑based AAC (Augmentative Alternative Communication) app demonstrated by Dillan in the video.
The app offers a customizable single screen layout that allows non-verbal people to join in conversation using free, natural-sounding voices in 18 languages, it offers word and sentence prediction, social media sharing abilities, and more.
The app is available on the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and Apple Watch, and is currently featuring a 50% discount through today, April 4.
Apple has long offered first-party accessibility features for its devices, and also does what it can to encourage the development of third-party apps for those with vision, hearing, or learning impairments.
In addition to the videos about Dillan and his experiences, the company has also launched a section in the App Store called, Voices of Autism, where users can download educational apps, useful apps, books, and even listen to podcasts to learn more about people with autism.
Apple’s Autism Acceptance Month page also includes a link to ResearchKit studies (including the autism work being done at Duke University and University of Cape Town).
Interested parties can also find out more information about Apple’s accessibility features for its devices on the company’s website.
