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Meet Leland  The young man with the infectious smile is Leland Jones. Leland is 18 years old and lives in Coolidge, Arizona. The fifth of nine children, Leland now lives with his grandparents (Mr. and Mrs. Jones) and his younger brother Michael. He enjoys computers, playing video games and listening to country music.
Leland was diagnosed at birth with cerebral palsy. He has limited speech articulation, limited use of his right arm and is mobile with the use of a wheelchair. These disabilities have not prevented Leland from dreaming big. "Mrs. Jones reminds Leland that all he needs to do is believe he can do it, keep trying, stay strong, and to keep his head high," according to Cece Michalegko, parent training and information coordinator.
Leland and AAC
 Although he had tried other devices, Leland's communication skills blossomed with his Pathfinder communication aid. "Leland has found his voice with the help of his Pathfinder," says Cece. His communication aid was funded through the Arizona Department of Developmental Disabilities.
Leland accesses the Pathfinder with direct selection and uses the Unity® 128 vocabulary program. He also uses the Pathfinder to access his computer. (He loves to play computer games according to his grandmother.) With a goal of increasing Leland's use of the Pathfinder in all environments, his therapy sessions have focused on building core vocabulary and reinforcing the icon sequences to increase the rate of communication. This approach is supplemented by other activities that increase natural language such as discussing the social events in his life, girls he is interested in, etc. At the end of each session, Leland has an assignment to use his vocabulary to invite a friend to lunch, practice greetings and partings or ask his peers questions about school activities.
"The in-service by PRC changed my way of doing therapy," said Leland's speech-language therapist. "Language therapy is the same approach with an AAC device user as it would be with any other student." Starter-Set Vocabulary for Enhancement of Communication Curriculum and Functional Communication (download .pdf file) authored by Gail VanTatenhove.
Homecoming King
 A senior at Coolidge High School, Leland is now fully included for all of his classes. He is also very active in extracurricular activities. In addition to being elected Homecoming King, Leland represented Coolidge High School in the state Future Farmers of America finals and became a representative with the Arizona Department of Education's Arizona Transition Leadership Team. This team is dedicated to support youth and young adults through their transition years of 14 to 22. Leland also works as a youth mentor in the local Head Start program. Visit the Arizona Department of Education web site to learn more about the Exceptional Student Transition Services along with other resources available within the Educational Services and Resources division.
Ann Jones reaffirmed what others have come to see in Leland, that is "Being able to overcome obstacles and not letting anything stand in his way."
Moving Forward
Through his own hard work and the support of his grandparents, his teachers, his therapist and classmates and the advocacy of professionals like Cece Michalegko, Leland now has plans beyond high school. Starting his higher education at a community college and eventually transferring to a four-year college, and opening his own web site design business are just the start of Leland's future plans.
When asked about Leland's strengths, Ann Jones reaffirmed what others have come to see in Leland, that is, "Being able to overcome obstacles and not letting anything stand in his way." As impressive as any of these achievements are, perhaps Leland's self-advocacy is the most impressive. For the past two years Leland has actively participated in his IEP meetings. He meets with all of his teachers at the beginning of the school year to discuss his strengths and needs, review his accommodations and answer any questions. What Can We All Do?
 "Augmentative devices such as the Pathfinder Leland uses have greatly facilitated communication for our special needs population," reports Leland's case manager. "However, more education in the availability and use of the devices to families, educators and service providers is greatly needed. I have found that those service providers working directly with a special needs population are not informed of the resources that are available to facilitate life's journey. Even with IDEA and Section 504 of the law supporting individuals with disabilities there is much work still needed to get those supports implemented." Want to see Leland? Acknowledgments
Thanks to Leland and his family for allowing him to be the subject of this profile. Special thanks to CeCe Michalegko, Pilot Parents of South Arizona, Parent Training and Information Center Network Partner, PTIC Coordinator; and Mr. Joe Nix and other teachers, students, and administrators at Coolidge High School in Coolidge, Arizona for their cooperation in creating this Profile of Success. Thanks also to PRC Regional Consultant, Carole Wymer for coordinating efforts and assisting in the completion of this Profile. Do you know someone we should profile? If you know someone who is benefiting from his or her use of augmentative communication and who could be an inspiration to others, please contact Cherie Weaver at PRC, (800) 262-1984, Ext. 240 or e-mail at
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