The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Eighth grader Ryan Nelson earned applause from the Flin Flon School Board on Tuesday after gleefully demonstrating his unique way of communicating. Ryan, who was born with cerebral palsy, talks with the help of a speech synthesizer device called a "Dynavox." The 13-year-old uses his chin to operate a switch that allows him to select words and phrases from a monitor mounted on the front of his wheelchair. A mechanical voice then relays those selections. "Hello everybody Ñ and a special hello to Grandpa Jim," Ryan said, greeting the board and its chairman, Jim Wilson, his grandfather. The Dynavox is programmed specifically for Ryan's needs and wants, and can be adapted and changed at any time. At one point, the Parkdale School student invited the trustees and the public to gather around him to get a closer look at the high-tech unit. The group was clearly impressed with what they saw. "That is really neat," commented Trustee Angela Simpson. As Ryan pointed out, the unit has uses other than talking. With it, he can do homework, send and receive e-mails, and operate TVs and other appliances that operate with remote control units. The Dynavox isn't the only method Ryan uses to communicate. For instance, he may also look at a person and then at a certain item to indicate he is interested in that item. He also nods "yes" and "no." Children's Special Services purchased the device for Ryan in April 2003 for almost $14,000. At the conclusion of his presentation, Ryan had a special message for the board. "Thank you for supporting me at school. I love school," he said. The board and public thanked Ryan for his presentation with an enthusiastic round of applause.
