Discussing future AAC: technology, interactions and ownership

The ISAAC 2023 Conference held in Cancun, Mexico included a discussion panel entitled "Imagining alternative futures for AAC together: what interactions do we want with each other?" Ten participants were in conversation with each other and a capacity audience for two hours, between them vocalizing, revoicing, using speech synthesis and speaking unaided. This paper summarizes the preparation for, holding of and reflections on this discussion. The context-and the reason for framing it in terms of "alternative" futures-was the dominance of predictions of brain-to-speech implants in mainstream media coverage of developments in AAC. A motivation for calling the panel was a feeling amongst the authors that this dominance was stifling debate about what other futures different people who use AAC might want. Three themes emerged in early conversations between the authors: technology, interactions and ownership-the many connotations of each will be presented. Before the discussion panel, participants met on-line across Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. These meetings were recorded and edited into short films and used to structure the in-person discussion. Transcripts from the films and samples of the discussion are included, along with questions and implications for the field of AAC. This paper is primarily about the discussion that took place in Cancun: for the record and for those who were unable to attend. The paper ends with links to other outputs that resulted from the panel: a paper about making and owning one's voice and its future; and a manifesto imagining alternative futures with augmented communication that draws on concepts of technoableism.