Catherine Rusoff
Technology has allowed activist Jordyn Zimmerman, an autistic woman who doesn’t speak, to find her voice.
Zimmerman’s childhood was spent communicating through body language and imagery. She bounced between several school systems in Ohio. It wasn’t until she was 18 – when she started using Proloquo, an augmentative and alternative communication app – that her true self was finally revealed.
Now 29, she described the moment she first had a legitimate voice as “joyful” but “deeply confusing” to her family.
“18, almost 19 years ago, so many professionals told them who I was, what I could do, how I wouldn’t be able to feel deeply about others or empathize, how I was incapable of learning, communicating and engaging,” she said. “And here I was sharing and debunking everything that was considered true for so long, which was completely inaccurate.”
She said iPad technology gave her “a lot of confidence to really connect with people” and transformed her relationship with her brother, fostering a bond that was nonexistent due to their communication barriers.
“My brother and I have an amazing and growing relationship that started 10 years ago,” she said. “We didn’t have a chance to get to know each other before this time.”
Zimmerman’s voice, which has gone unheard for so long, has now reached some of the biggest platforms. She serves on the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities and presents at schools across the country. Her goal is to obtain better resources and educational opportunities for students with disabilities.
She said she would like to see technology used more in education to help students who don’t speak.
“When students don’t speak or can’t rely on speaking to be understood, our school systems often segregate them,” she said. “And once a student is segregated, it’s hard to change things. We have to rewrite those rules.”
Zimmerman’s direct communication style caught the attention of Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s head of global accessibility. Zimmerman was chosen as a distinguished educator by the company and uses Apple’s Live Speech feature in her daily communication.
“Jordan has one of the best senses of humor, and watching her facial expression as she has that thing she wants to express, and then she types and just gets that kind of expression, smile on her face. the fact that our technology is just helping her show the world exactly who she is,” Herrlinger said.
Zimmerman expressed hope that her advocacy work would create a more understanding and supportive world for all children.
“Every time I come forward and share my story, I impact one person. And every time I share feedback about an experience that could lead to a positive impact on someone else, I feel good and I’m proud to change the narrative in this way.” Zimmermann said. “I know I can’t change the world alone, but I can certainly raise people up to facilitate meaningful improvements and help show that we all have valuable contributions to make.”
