S1 Ep. 12 Accessibility Also Includes Communication; with Barbara Collier

Photo caption: This is the Communication Access symbol which can be dowloaded on the CDAC website here.

Barbara Collier, executive director and co-founder of Communication Disabilities Access Canada (CDAC) talks about the importance of communication access, the Accessible Canada Act, Communication intermediaries, CDAC’s Communication Assistance project and much much more. More information can be found on the Communication Disabilities Access Canada website: cdacanada.com
 
People who have disabilities that effect their communication don’t always know what their rights are with regards to communication. They have the right to the accommodations and supports that they need to communicate effectively, whatever that communication method may look like. Communication access rights are more than just the right to say “no” or to express an opinion. It’s the right to access and receive services just like everyone else.
 
Some of Barbara’s favorite resources, to name a few:
 
The work by Joyce Plotnikoff and Richard Woolfson on Intermediaries in the Criminal Justice System: https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1t89326
 
Sarah Blackstone’s work on Access to Healthcare: https://praacticalaac.org/tag/sarah-blackstone/
 
The International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication
https://www.isaac-online.org/english/home/
 
Facebook handle: https://www.facebook.com/Communication-Disabilities-Access-Canada-167031386664276/
 
Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/CDACCanada
 
I also make mention of the International Communication Project video which gives a great synopsis on how communication is a basic human right. See episode 10 to access the link.