Episode Details

David welcomes Brooks Hamilton, Helen Keller’s great-grandniece, to discuss Keller’s legacy as a lesson about access, support, belief, and a path to communication, and why many nonspeakers are still doubted and denied communication. Brooks describes growing up with family stories of Helen’s communication methods and how that shaped her commitment to “go the extra mile” to connect with others. She shares how she once assumed nonspeakers were cognitively impaired based on what teachers and experts said, then had an “aha” moment learning about presuming competence, apraxia, spelling, and neuroplasticity, calling current practices a civil-rights issue. They compare Keller’s intensive supported learning with modern spelling-based communication, criticize ableist testing and “message passing” parallels, and discuss self-serving incentives in therapy. Brooks explains her volunteering in therapeutic recreation, learning motor coaching and co-regulation, pursuing communication-partner training, and advocating for New York’s Communication Rights bill.

Topics

00:37 Why Helen Keller Matters

01:33 Brooks Hamilton Intro

02:49 Growing Up With Legacy

04:26 Family Stories Of Helen

06:45 Presuming Competence Lesson

07:34 Unlearning Ableist Assumptions

10:21 Parallels With Stone

11:24 How Helen Learned Language

18:20 Ableism In Communication Testing

23:36 Becoming An Ally

27:38 Volunteering And Motor Coaching

31:26 Autism and Apraxia Gap

32:38 Prompting Double Standards

33:41 Training as Communication Partner

35:51 Why Training Matters

38:00 Accuracy and Patience

40:51 Spelling in Schools Logistics

42:37 New York Bill Fight

45:35 Helen Keller Legacy

47:45 Tip Presume Competence

50:18 Future Advocacy Plans

53:50 Fact or Fiction Segment

58:08 Family Support and Wrap