Speech Difference

Sandy Dorsey — Smiles for Speech

For Sandy Dorsey, speech therapy is a fundamental human right—one that millions of children and adults worldwide still struggle to access. As a seasoned speech-language pathologist and the founder of Smiles for Speech, Dorsey has made it her mission to bridge the gap for individuals in under-resourced communities, providing life-changing therapies, education and support … Read more

Ed Begley Jr. — Revisit

Ed Begley Jr., an actor and environmental activist, has spent decades captivating audiences with his performances on screen and stage. Best known for his Emmy-nominated role as Dr. Victor Ehrlich on the groundbreaking NBC hospital drama St. Elsewhere (1982–1988), Begley Jr. continues to charm younger generations with memorable appearances in shows like Better Call … Read more

Improv for Live

Yes and… Melinda Chilton lives in Los Angeles, where she’s been studying, performing, and teaching improv for several years. She has a question for you to ponder. Have you ever wished that when you woke up in the morning, there would be a script for your day lying next to your bed? Wouldn’t you like … Read more

Maya Chupkov — Becoming a Proud Stutter

Maya Chupkov has been stuttering all her life and faced many challenges because of her speech pattern. However, instead of hiding her disability, she is now using her podcast Proud Stutter to shift the narrative around stuttering. ABILITY’s Karina Sturm speaks with Maya Chupkov in an interview for ABILITY Magazine’s new podcast about her work … Read more

Dyslexia — Tangled Up in Blues

Circa 2011 Growing up, I thought I was the only kid like me in the world. Many years later, I came to understand that my story is the story of millions of Americans who struggle with literacy. We all have some obstacle with which we’ve had to wrestle. What I finally figured out was that … Read more

Zhang Chaofan

Zhang Chaofan was born in Changchun, Jilin Province, China in 1992, with her left forearm missing. Through years of hard work, she founded an art school and a charity foundation under her name. She’s also received numerous awards and honors, including the China Youth May Fourth Medal, and was named National Women Pacesetter and a … Read more

Marilee Talkington — A Clear Vision to Advocate

Marilee Talkington is one of just a very few legally blind actors in the country to earn an M.F.A. in acting. She earned her M.F.A at the prestigious American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.). She has worked professionally in the theater for over 2 decades. Her break out TV role was Annie Barth, a blind woman, on … Read more

John Williams’ Battle with Parkinson’s Disease

Recently a friend and I were discussing politics. He supported the present administration’s Immigration policies; and I don’t. Every time he made a point, I countered with what I believe was a more valid point. He became so angry that he said, ‘Go to Hell.’ I replied, “I have been to Hell and back and … Read more

Drew Lynch —Wicked Funny

Standup is hard enough to do, even when you have everything going for you, but throw in a baseball to the neck, vocal contusion, and a major concussion and still crack up audiences, well that’s magic. Actor and comedian Drew Lynch continues to do just that. A sports injury at 19 left him with a stutter, … Read more

Cpeechless–Micah Fowler

Micah D. Fowler represents the cusp of a new trend in Hollywood: casting actors with disabilities in lead roles. He plays JJ, a teenager with cerebral palsy (CP) on the popular TV series Speechless. A native of New Jersey, the affable 19-year-old is no stranger to show biz. He’s had parts on Blue’s Clues, … Read more

John Williams — The Past, My Teacher

I have had many injuries throughout my 71 years. These mishaps have challenged me physically and mentally. They include being hit by a car three times, breaking my right leg three times in five months, breaking my left wrist and elbow, falling, being kicked in the eye, pulling leg muscles, wrenching my back, having … Read more

BRANDON—Stutter: My Change Agent

I was born with a speech impediment. Ideas flourish in my mind, but they just don’t transfer smoothly through my vocal chords like other people. Having this stuttering disability subjected me to a cloud of hopelessness for a large portion of my life. I thought my dreams would never come to fruition, that I … Read more

John Williams — What Else You Got?

Dealing daily with stuttering is a tough struggle. In addition, coping daily with Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, severe back pain, mobility loss and fatigue increase are overwhelming. So overwhelming that I ponder these questions daily: Is this life worth living? My answer thus far is yes with reservations. My reservations are: How much … Read more

John Williams — He’s the Man

A featured Business Week columnist and publisher of Assistive Technology News, journalist John M. Williams assures me he’s always accurate in his reporting even though he may not be the quickest. Author John Williams has earned several awards for his achievements in delivering the news to the nation over the past 40 years. His … Read more

Book Excerpt — Widening the Circle

Circa 2006 Mara Sapon-Shevin, professor of education at Syracuse University, has a bold, even radical vision for full classroom inclusion, for creating school communities in which all students—regardless of race, family background, disability, special needs or other perceived differences—are welcomed as full and valued members from the very start. In her latest book, Widening the … Read more