This professor spent 40 years working at camps. Now, she’s launching her own
Kim Ho spent summers at camps that accommodate adults with disabilities and was inspired recently to run her own weeklong camp for autistic users of augmentative and alternative communication technology.
Most recreational camps are boisterous places with tight schedules and constant stimulation. Just ask Kim Ho: she’s spent the last 40 summers volunteering at camps that accommodate adults with and without disabilities.
But participants of AAC Family Camp in Vermont were greeted by lanterns emitting a serene red glow from the walls when they arrived on-site for their first day. Applause and cheering were exchanged for snaps or hand waves, and noise-canceling headphones were available for those with sound sensitivities.
“Walking into the room, I could feel the calm,” Oanh Bui, who participated in the camp with her daughter, told Northeastern Global News. “No one tried to hurry (my daughter). That alone felt different.”
Ho, an assistant clinical professor of communication sciences and disorders at Northeastern University, founded AAC Family Camp — Radical Inclusion to cater to the needs of autistic users of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and their families. The camp’s inaugural session was held from March 9 to March 13 at Zeno Mountain Farm, a campsite in Lincoln, Vermont.
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“The fact that it’s designed around being sensory friendly, based on special interests for autistic people and includes their families, that’s a radical change,” Ho said.
Nestled at the base of the Green Mountains, Zeno Mountain Farm is a 60-acre rural getaway that’s home to free, year-round recreational camps that bring together adults both with and without disabilities. Ho volunteers there and even brings her speech language pathology students along to give them hands-on experience working with people with different communication needs.
But Ho found many of the programs didn’t cater to autistic AAC users, many of whom have high needs and could not attend without a family member to assist.
For her camp, Ho invited AAC users and their families for additional support. She also wanted her camp to be a space where these relatives could find connection through daily support groups.
Among the 25 camp attendees were also eight graduate students and one undergraduate student in Northeastern’s speech program. Students and families received training on different AAC devices, such as picture boards that show images a user can point to to communicate or text-to-speech devices.
These types of devices were available for use throughout the week. Communication boards hung around the house with symbols to indicate if someone wanted a snack. When people ventured out sledding or skiing, they went with mini communication boards on lanyards. With signs for “slow down” or “scared,” they provided a way AAC users could communicate when they couldn’t have their regular device in hand.
Otherwise, AAC Family Camp was like any other at Zeno. To avoid hierarchies, everyone is considered a “participant” — as opposed to camper versus staff — and chips in with daily chores like dishwashing. The days were filled with fashion shows, soccer, and “balloon joy,” in which everyone blew up 58 balloons and tossed them around.
Ho also incorporated the special interests of the autistic attendees. One person enjoyed skiing, so they spent a day on the slopes. Another loved the Lunar New Year, so the group threw a Lunar New Year celebration with spring rolls and ao dais, traditional gowns with high collars and side slits, brought by some of the Vietnamese families.
Ho’s approach made a difference. Bui noticed right away how the student volunteers sat beside — not above — her daughter when helping her with her AAC device.
Over the course of the week, Bui’s daughter blossomed, trying new activities such as making snow angels. And Bui, who came to support her daughter, found herself stepping back.
“For a moment, I wasn’t her interpreter or her advocate,” she said. “I was just her mom, watching her be fully herself. It reminded me, in a very real way, that communication is not about speed or speech — it’s about being met with patience and respect.”
Given the positive feedback, Ho said she plans to host future sessions.
“Everyone increased their confidence in using a device and supporting an AAC user,” she said. “I can’t believe how much growth there was. … I can’t wait to do it again.”