20 Oct: MSOV: Stanley

We read our narrated Powerpoint stories to the Special Needs group at Stanley library, and read more using the ReadPlease text reader.

We showed everyone the Many Stories, One Voice Online Writing Collection of over 100 stories, essays and poems written by people who cannot use speech as their main way to communicate. The authors are aged between 6 - 65 and from 13 countries.

We all wrote especially for ISAAC International AAC* Awareness Month this October, when people are reading aloud in libraries around the world, using AAC and computer technology.

Here's the link to the MSOV Collection: http://www.aacawareness.org/

Check it out!

Our stories are on this page: http://www.aacawareness.org/michaelreed.html

16 Oct: MSOV: Spennymoor

Today we read to Robert's class at his school, The Oaks in Spennymoor.

15 Oct: LDP: Sedgefield Locality

Sedgefield Locality meeting of the Learning Disabilities Parliament.

I showed some slides I made to introduce everyone to the CRPD (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilites). On the slides:

1. Some text copied from the Rehabilitaion International PowerPoint about the CRPD, and
2. Articles 21 & 24 of the Convention.

I used a free text-reader programme called ReadPlease to read out all the words on the slides. All I had to do was copy and paste the text from PowerPoint into ReadPlease and press Play.

Before this we had to work for hours storing everything on my communication aid in advance.

We are going to work on making CRPD information accessible for everyone to understand and discuss by the next meeting.

10 Oct: Engage TV

Charly emailed to say they got the funding to make a documentary with me! it will be three minutes and has to be done by February. More on that later.

Engage are also starting a year long Media Skills course with Gateshead College, NCFE certificate. People with learning disabilities will be working on 3 professional films, learning by work placement and working on all aspects of media from camera to performing.

11 Oct: MSOV: Durham

We read our stories to students from St Hild's at Durham Clayport library.

7 Oct: MSOV: Chilton

Our first for AAC Awareness Month was at Chilton Library.

The Mayor and Town Clerk, and Mrs Bell's class from the junior school came to hear our stories.

7 Oct: LD Parliament

Our first meeting since the swear in 3 September.

At 'Any other Business' I asked if the Parliament would petition the UK government to Ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities.

It does not become law for us in the UK until they do.

I gave them CD from Rehabilitation International with a PowerPoint about the Convention and a template letter that we could send.

There was a lot of interest and it was agreed to talk about it at the next Locality meeting.