2017 TASH Conference

The National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (NJC) NJC is made up of a representatives from eight member organizations (including TASH), and focuses on research, policy, practice, and education to advocate for individuals with significant communication support needs resulting from intellectual disability, that may coexist with autism, sensory and/or motor limitation. In 1992, the NJC published an original Communication Bill of Rights that was used widely to advocate for communication services and supports for persons with severe disabilities. In 2016, the NJC revised the Communication Bill of Rights to reflect of broader range of potential communication purposes and focus more on communication for the purposes of socialization, building relationships, and self-advocacy. The 2016 Communication Bill of Rights is based on the understanding that "All people with a disability of any extent or severity have a basic right to affect, through communication, the conditions of their existence. Beyond this general right, a number of specific communication rights should be ensured in all daily interactions and interventions involving persons who have severe disabilities. To participate fully in communication interactions, each person has [many] fundamental communication rights." In spite of these clearly articulated rights, myths regarding communication for persons with severe disabilities often limit access to communication and opportunities to learn to communicate. For example, it is commonly believed that individuals who were unable to learn reading, writing, and communication in childhood are unable to learn as adults. Yet, new technologies, instructional strategies, and contexts (daily activities and communication partners) have emerged since the time that today's adults were children. Learning is still very possible. In fact, a number of studies have shown that individuals with severe disabilities continue to develop communication and language skills well into their adult years and make measurable gains when provided with appropriate communication services. The purpose of this presentation is to review the NJC Communication Bill of Rights, the myths that limit opportunity to communicate and learn to communicate, and the research that contradicts myths. In doing so, this presentation links directly to the theme of the 2017 TASH conference, Still We Rise for Equity, Opportunity, and Inclusion, by providing participants with critical language and documentation they can use to support everyone's right to communicate.