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Celebrates Thirty Years of Bliss in Canada.
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Ontario
Introducing our webmaster, of whom Bliss Canada is very
proud!
by: Suzanne Bourret
The Hamilton Spectator
Paul Marshall, director of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, is delving into the world of Web design, working on sites aimed at people, like himself, who are unable to speak.
A voice for those in need
Paul Marshall: Community advocate for those with special needs.
Who: Paul Marshall, 37, a director of Blissymbolics Communication International and its Web site manager
What: Paul Marshall has never had a speaking voice but he has found a way to make his 'voice' heard for those with special needs.
Paul Marshall has never had a speaking voice but he has found a way to make his "voice" heard for those with special needs.
The Binbrook man was born with cerebral palsy and is unable to speak. After he learned Blissymbolics, a communication system that allows those with cerebral palsy to communicate in sentences using English syntax, he became an accomplished augmentative communicator. Then he went on to become a much needed community advocate for those who use augmentative and alternative communication.
Now he works once a week as a research assistant at a Toronto company that designs and develops writing aids for people who need additional help.
He is also involved as a director with Blissymbolics Communication International (BCI); Hamilton-Wentworth Communication Collective, a volunteer group that helps to support those who use augmentative and alternative communication systems; and is a vice-president of The Greater Toronto Area Augmentative and Alternative Communication Advocacy Group.
Marshall is also on the Advisory Committee for Assistive Devices Industry Office, a part of Industry Canada.
Marshall is excited about his work with Blissymbolics Communication International because it is developing an offshoot group. "Bliss Canada (he writes by e-mail) will hopefully act as a partnership between Bliss users and their supporters to promote and support the Bliss system and its uses across Canada."
He believes that disabled people with severe limitations are at the mercy of "how our world is really doing" because of funding cutbacks for needs such as housing. Marshall says that people with special needs should band together to make their physical needs known. "Everyone needs horizontal and vertical opportunities or options to live where they want and have a lifestyle of their own."
Quote: "I believe each day is a gift from my Lord to do His will. I believe life can be lived above mediocrity. Hopefully, with my life, I can offer a seed of positive change."
Meet your steering committee Miriam Running
mrunnig@interlog.ca
Peter Lindsay
peterhlindsay@hotmail.com
Lang Moffat
Liz Baird
ebaird@oise.utoronto.ca
Shirley McNaughton
smcn@freespace.net
Barb Rush
barbrush@nas.net
Paul Marshall
marshall@istar.ca
Michael Bambrick
michael@ofcp.on.ca
Ann Running
mrunnig@interlog.ca
Fran Brown
Bob McNaughton
smcn@freespace.net
Robert Loree
rloree@bfree.com
Ann O'Malley
rloree@bfrfee.com
Treen Guy
tg@magma.ca
Alan Sunsiloe
asunisloe@hwcn.org
Jane Green, Elaine Grover (from Newfoundland)
greenj@morgan.ucs.mun.ca
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