Right to communicate: 15 years of cooperation – the fight continues: nobody must be left without a voice!

“About 63,000 people living in Austria have a restricted ability to speak. In order to communicate, they need aids such as tablets with eye control and voice output. If they do not have access to such aids, or have difficulty accessing them, the inclusion of people with disabilities in spoken language at school, at work and in everyday life is prevented,” according to Diakonie.

Finally implementing the legal right to assistive communication technologies for people with speech impairments

During a visit to a Diakonie Assisted Communication centre, Diakonie and VERBUND once again highlight problems accessing assistive communication technologies. VERBUND CEO Michael Strugl makes clear that “We finally need a legal entitlement to the financing of individually customised assistive devices for everyone who needs one.” He was visiting a Diakonie centre for assisted communication in Graz, where he met Anna Katzbauer.

Ms Katzbauer is 53 years old and has a severe speech impairment. Two years ago, she came to the Diakonie centre, where LIFEtool consultant Carina Bloder immediately looked for communication support for Anna Katzbauer. Carina Bloder says: “We soon realised that a tablet would be a good form of support for Anna. Purchasing a tablet is reasonably affordable, but the app she needs for her communication costs an additional 300 euros. We don’t see why the user should pay that herself. I’ve already submitted various funding applications. VERBUND stepped in and covered the costs for the time being. However, we cannot release the public sector from its duty. It has to pay its share.”

“This is why we have been working together with Diakonie for 15 years and we never tire of restating these important demands,” emphasises VERBUND CEO Michael Strugl. “In Austria, the way to getting the right aids is complicated, opaque and drawn-out,” criticises the Diakonie director Maria Katharina Moser. Applications for funding would have to be submitted to many authorities at provincial and federal level, and you never know in advance whether they’ll be approved. The supply gap currently has to be closed with donations.

VERBUND Empowerment Fund of Diakonie

The VERBUND Empowerment Fund of Diakonie has been supporting the individual counselling of around 10,000 people with disabilities on the possibilities of Assisted Communication and Assistive Technology since 2009. Almost 6,000 people have benefited individually from VERBUND immediate help to date.

Background information on the right to communication and assistive technologies.

To enable people with speech impairments to exercise their right to communicate and live as independently as possible, they need various assistive aids:

• simple electronic aids (like a keyboard) as well as non-electronic aids
• complex electronic communication devices (like eye control)
• aids for accessing the computer (mouth-operated mouse, holders)
• special software (e.g. for speech output)

VERBUND’s visit took place at the “Arbeit und Assistenz Graz” (Work and Assistance Graz) facility of the Diakoniewerk. The centre offers day care and support for 20 clients. The clients are people with intellectual or physical, sensory or multiple disabilities – some of the 20 people have a slight need for assistance and some have the greatest need.  They need support to be able to participate in employment and development.

Most of them use assistive technologies / augmentative and alternative communication. The facility’s equipment was largely financed with funds from the VERBUND Empowerment Fund of Diakonie.

Please direct inquiries to Diakonie:
Roberta Rastl, press spokesperson Diakonie Austria
Phone: 0043 664 314 9395 | Email: presse@diakonie.at