Images(3)

Device, Visual Signaling

Object number2019.120.1

Datec. 1985

OriginPittsburgh, PA

MediumPaperboard; Paper; Ink; Adhesive; Adhesive tape; Fabric tape

Credit LineGift of Beth Anne Luciani

DescriptionRectangular communication board. Board is constructed of thick gray paperboard. One side is overlaid with brown paper and edged with white fabric tape and the other side is overlaid with white fabric tape overall. Front and back are then covered in colorful paper sections each with a different grid of letters, words, and/or pictures. Clear adhesive tape overlays the board overall on both sides. One side has a yellow piece of paper in the viewer's bottom right corner with printed black owner statement.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth: 15.938 x 20 x 0.375 in. (40.5 x 50.8 x 1 cm)
InscriptionsBoth sides have grids of letters, words, and captioned pictures; some are printed and some are handwritten.

One side has the alphabet in the viewer's top left corner and in the viewer's bottom right corner is printed black text "HELLO, MY NAME IS BETH ANNE LUCIANI. / HERE IS HOW I TALK TO YOU: I WILL / LOOK AT OR TOUCH A COLORED AREA, I / NEED YOU TO FIND THE WORD I'M THINKING / OF. PLACE YOUR HAND ON ONE OF THE THREE / SECTIONS AND ASK "IS THIS THE SECTION. / WHEN YOU FIND THE RIGHT SECTION I WILL / SAY "YES" BY SMILING AND NODDING MY / HEAD. ONCE THE RIGHT SECTION IS / FOUND, PLACE YOUR FINGER ON THE TOP / ROW OF THAT SECTION AND ASK "IS IT IN / THIS ROW?" CONTINUE DOWN THROUGH / EACH ROW UNTIL I INDICATE YES. ONCE / THE ROW IS FOUND, MOVE YOUR FINGER / ACROSS THE ROW, NAMING EACH PICTURE / TIL I INDICATE YES. / BETH ANNE LUCIANI / 225 ONTARIO STREET / MONESSEN, PA 15062 / PHONE: 684-5389".

Other side has grid with "I, me", "mother", and "father" in the viewer's top left corner and grid with "big", "little", and "less" in the viewer's top right corner.
Historical NotesCommunication boards used by the donor, Beth Anne Luciani, who was born with cerebral palsy. The board was made c. 1985 by her speech therapist at The Day School, the boards became more complicated as she matured. She used about six boards total throughout her life and received a new one about every three to five years. The boards were made to fit the size of the tray on her wheelchair. Beth Anne was born with cerebral palsy in 1979, which made her unable to walk or talk. At the age of two she started to attend the Easter Seals. They used the communication boards from an early age to help her communicate her thoughts and feelings. At five she started at The Day School of the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh and over her next 16 years at the school she worked with the same speech therapist. As her vocabulary expanded her communication boards became increasingly complex and large. She had many other ways of communicating while at the Day School including a Light Talker and communication books, she also had boards. In 2000, she started at the California University of Pennsylvania with a major in creative writing. As of 2019, Beth Anne no longer used communication boards or devices but chose to communication by eye gaze and spelling. She has positive memories of her communication boards and how they helped her express herself and she used them even after she began using devices because she found them quicker and easier.

Previous owner Beth Anne Luciani (born 1979)

Related institution The Day School

Related institution The Children's Institute of Pittsburgh

Related institution Easter Seals

Related institution California University of Pennsylvania

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