ZEELAND, Mich. — A viral social media video featuring a Woodbridge Elementary kindergartner is helping raise awareness about how some students communicate differently and why inclusion matters.
WATCH: Viral video featuring Zeeland kindergartner helps spread awareness of AAC devices
Scarlett Hutcheson, a student at Woodbridge Elementary, uses an augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC, device to help express herself. The technology gives people who have difficulty communicating through speech another way to share their thoughts, needs, and ideas.
Scarlett's speech-language pathologist, Chelsea Meiste, said AAC devices can be life-changing for students who struggle with verbal communication.
“A communication app on an iPad called LAMP Words for Life is what a lot of our students use, and it just helps them if they have a hard time expressing their ideas,” Meiste said. “We want to show them the words on their device and verbally, and then really giving them the option to choose how they want to participate and how they want to communicate."
Scarlett's teachers describe her as energetic, social and eager to connect with others.
“I cannot say enough positive things about Scarlett,” said Madison Jacopec, an autism spectrum disorder teacher at Woodbridge Elementary. “She lights up our classroom. She's always singing and dancing and giving hugs and asking for tickles on her device.”
Meiste said research shows AAC devices not only provide an alternative means of communication but can also support speech development.
“It increases their verbal communication,” Meiste said. “We've seen her increase a ton in that way and just be able to participate, to tell us her feelings, to ask for what she wants and express her ideas more fully.”
Jacopec said 11 students at Woodbridge Elementary currently use AAC devices.
“We got to see these kids go from a lot of frustration and not having a way to communicate to now having a way to communicate and interact with the world around them,” Jacopec said.
The educators saw October's AAC Awareness Month as an opportunity to teach classmates more about communication differences and neurodiversity.
“It's something they're curious about, so we felt this was a great opportunity to spread awareness and promote inclusion and answer any questions kids may have,” Jacopec said.
To help do that, Jacopec, Meiste and Scarlett created a video that was shared with students as part of a series introducing neurodivergent students over the school's intercom. In the video, Scarlett uses her AAC device to introduce herself to classmates.
“Hi, my name is Scarlett, and I use AAC to help me say some of my words,” Scarlett says in the video. “Even if I don't always talk using my mouth, I still have a lot to say, and I understand when you talk to me too. You can be a good listener by giving me extra time to talk. I love to make friends.”
The video resonated far beyond the school community, drawing more than 1 million views on social media.
“It's been exciting to see how far it has spread with awareness because we just really want to highlight and celebrate kids who maybe talk a little bit differently,” Meiste said. "It was surprising, but I think a good thing."
Both educators hope the attention helps more people understand AAC devices and the students who rely on them.
“They're becoming more common, more accessible to people, and it's making the world more accessible for people,” Jacopec said. “And it is so cool to be a part of and to witness.”
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