The Speech Dudes is a site created and developed by a couple of Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) who always found it funny that whenever they went to a grandly titled “symposium” they were fully aware of the etymology of the word. It’s Greek for “a drinking session.” So at one of these symposiums, and after a few drinks, they decided that there wasn’t an online equivalent of a bar for SLPs – a virtual symposium.
Like any bar-centric event, discussion can range from the passionately emotional to the downright profane, at which point folks can choose either to stay or leave in a state of shock, disgust, or just irritation.
Dude 1 is Russell Cross, a Speech and Language Therapist who started life in the UK and ended up in the US working in the field of Augmentative and Alternative Communication. If you’ve seen or used any devices from the Prentke Romich Company since 1995, then you are familiar with his work. He’s one of the authors of the Unity language that’s been embedded in all PRC devices since 1996, and also the sole author of WordCore, a word-based software. The owner of a number of US patents, his research interests are in corpus linguistics, machine syntax, and assistive technology. Needless to say, the opinions expressed in The Speech Dudes do not necessarily reflect the views of the Prentke Romich Company and as a Dude, he speaks for himself.
Dude 2 is Chip Clarke, a Speech Language Pathologist who has been tooling around with Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Assistive Technology since 1989. Chip started out Assistive Technology Works, Inc. (with some great partners) in 1997 and it has evolved into a AAC equipment distributor for a variety of assistive technology and AAC products. Rarely is he in the office and almost always on the road, Chip provides client and clinician support throughout the Mid-Atlantic region for the manufacturers represented by ATW. For the past 5 years, Chip has also served as consultant to Prentke Romich Company developing their eye gaze technologies, including both the EcoPoint and NuEye systems. Just like Dude 1, the opinions expressed in The Speech Dudes do not reflect the views of Assistive Technology Works or Prentke Romich Company. As a Dude, he speaks (and occasionally argues) for himself.
Welcome to the Speech Dudes!
The Speech Dudes 
Pingback: PrAACtical Resources: Analyzing Language with the Quick AAC Developmental Profile : PrAACtical AAC