A Bit About Us
Communication is Key AAC is a Michigan-based non-profit 501c3 run by volunteer parents of children with complex communication needs. Communication is Key believes every individual has the right to be able to communicate. It is our goal to improve services to those with complex communication needs, their teachers, and families, in order to help them reach their communication potential. We aim to meet the needs of this population by providing scholarships for training and gifting comprehensive resources to school districts including communication devices, communication software, literacy materials, trainings, and playground communication boards. We provide active online collaboration, support, giveaways, and projects to support our community within Michigan, out of state, and even in other countries. We are a passionate dedicated group and are very proud of the change we have made within the community. For more information on our active projects and giveaways, please follow us on social media: www.facebook.com/CommunicationIsKeyAAC, and @communicationiskeyaac on IG.
Julia Dapkus
Executive Director & Founder
Hi, I’m Julia. I am a high school teacher by trade, and a warrior mom and advocate to my daughter Isabelle (14) who is a complex, outgoing, sassy, smart young lady. Isabelle is passionate about her family, friends, dance, swim, and all things messy.
She lights up any room, finds any way to have fun, and works so hard every day for what most take for granted. She ultimately is the driving force behind my non-profit organization experience.
We began our Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) journey when Isabelle was 3.5 years old with the guidance and expertise of a dedicated private Speech Language Pathologist who truly believed in Isabelle, and we will forever be so grateful for her. Our experience has been long and exhausting navigating this very unique life. Some days are filled with overwhelming despair and the stress of raising a complex kiddo…..and trying to live a balanced “normal” happy life!
Communication is Key (CiK) AAC was created out of necessity after I realized the limited resources in the community and it was up to me whether Isabelle was going to “sink or swim”. I was quickly able to identify the disconnect between families and educators, along with general lack of awareness and training in AAC, accessibility issues, lack of literacy resources and an overall shortage of physical AAC devices.
In 2019, CiK jumpstarted when our very first social media post of Isabelle with a playground communication board went viral, with views reaching the UK, Australia, Mexico, and Canada. Providing communication boards to the community remains our main project, as we have successfully distributed 250 boards to schools, therapy centers, and adaptive parks throughout Michigan, also reaching Arizona, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Ohio, and California.
As life has continued with more advocacy, awareness, and diagnoses for Isabelle, we were met with resistance from our education team when it came to what Isabelle was capable of, especially with literacy and assistive technology. It became my biggest mission to not only help her receive appropriate interventions, but that the professionals were being supported and trained as well. As a result, every fall we sponsor parents, teachers, SLPs and OTs, to the comprehensive and life-changing conference, Talking AAC in East Lansing, Michigan..Along the way, I was able to put my biggest two passions together yoga and advocacy, and hosted several magical intimate caregiver retreats.
When I’m not advocating, researching,parenting, or trying to change the world, I love to read, garden, do yoga, meditate, and be by any body of water!Thank you for taking the time to learn about Communication is Key AAC.