Nothando Dube is a Zimbabwean currently pursuing a PhD at the Centre of Augmentative and Alternative Communication at the University of Pretoria. Nothando was orphaned at a young age and despite extreme financial hardship, completed her A levels. She obtained a government bursary and completed a bachelor’s degree in African languages. She then went on to teach in rural schools in Zimbabwe. Her passion for inclusion in education grew as she noted the number of children with disabilities who were out of schools and had never had any access to education. Children with disabilities are still hidden away in homes and cannot advocate for themselves. She received a scholarship to study for an MA in Special Educational Needs and Inclusion in the United Kingdom.

While Nothando is aware that the national policy environment in Zimbabwe limits the participation of children with disabilities in education, she is also acutely aware that, for children with disabilities, a major barrier to participation in education and society is the lack of communication modalities.

She saw that communication technologies for children with disabilities are unaffordable and inaccessible to many families in Zimbabwe, and decided to explore the effects of low-cost augmentative and alternative communication strategies such as the Picture Exchange Communication System for children with developmental disabilities. She is committed to training various communication partners, with a specific focus on siblings, as a pathway to building communication strategies for children with disabilities. Nothando believes that giving children with communication disabilities a voice will enable them to participate more actively in society and advocate for their rights.

Zakiyya Laher is a South African enrolled in a PhD program at the Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, at the University of Pretoria. She is a school-based speech therapist and audiologist working at a government-funded school. Her research focuses on the effectiveness of communication intervention approaches for persons with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). Zakiyya’s extensive experience as a therapist has shown that intensive interaction opens possibilities for communication, teaching and learning for persons with PIMD. She is deeply passionate about creating communication opportunities for children who are frequently “written off” by society and aims to train teachers, therapists, families and school administrators to communicate with persons with PIMD.

When Zakiyya was growing up, her mother refused to perpetuate gender-based roles and her father had the strength, courage, and wisdom to nurture her goals in the face of societal and cultural constraints towards girls. These values passed on by her parents made her deeply passionate about creating communication and participation opportunities for children with complex communication needs who are frequently “unheard” and “unseen” in their homes, educational, and social environments. It is a legacy she hopes to share with her colleagues and patients.

Zakiyya’s goals include undertaking evidence-based research that will assist and train families, teachers, therapists, nurses, and teaching assistants to interact and communicate with persons with PIMD in ways that enrich their own lives as well as those of children with PIMD.

She volunteers with support groups for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder, Down Syndrome, and PIMD. Zakiyya also organizes parent and staff training workshops on augmentative and alternative communication strategies for children with complex communication needs.