Apple has uploaded a video to their YouTube channel to recognize Autism Acceptance Month. Titled ‘Dillan’s Voice,’ the short film shows how a boy with autism learned how to vocalize his thoughts with the use of an iPad.
“All my life I wanted so badly to connect with people, but they couldn’t understand, because I had no way to communicate. I get to experience in a very unique way. I can see the wind, hear the flowers, I can feel incredible emotions flowing from the ones I love,” Dillan said in the video. “So many people can’t understand I have a mind. All they see is a person who is not in control. But now you can hear me. The iPad helps me to see not only my words but hold on to my thoughts. Having a voice has changed everything in my life.”
Dillan has complex thoughts, but is unable to verbalize them without using technology to piece together fragmented concepts. Dillan intends to store his thoughts in a centralized fashion in this way. Dillan and his mother, Tami Barmache, both feature prominently in the film, with Tami helping Dillan use the iPad to speak at home and even a middle school graduation ceremony.
A longer, second video was also produced, called ‘Dillan’s Path.’ This short film featured interviews with both Tami and Dillan’s communication partner/therapist Deborah Spengler, as well as extended interview with Dillan himself.
According to one redditor, one of the keyboards that Dillan uses to communicate in the promotional films is likely called Keeble, although Proloquo2Go was mentioned in the same breath.
9to5Mac reports that Apple was honored with the Helen Keller Achievement Award recently because of their implementation of the VoiceOver feature by the American Foundation for the Blind.
