When I began to write this book, I had not decided how Jemma was going to be able to communicate, although I knew she would need to by the end! Advances in technology have made communication possible for many more people with disabilities. However, there are lots of people who do not have access to this technology or are unable to use it for various reasons.
The device that Jemma uses in the book is inspired by a real invention, developed by researchers at the Weizmann Institute in Israel. Trials have shown that some people with severe disabilities and people with locked-in syndrome, for whom other systems have not worked, have been able to use this device. And as a relatively inexpensive product, it has the potential to make AAC technology accessible for more people than ever before. It has not yet gone into production, but my hope is that by raising awareness, this book may help persuade a company to take this up and make it commercially available. I dream that one day everyone who has the potential to communicate will have access to the equipment they need.