Motherly Instinct W
Ypsilanti mother creates app for nonverbal son
hile many iPad users have their devices to check social media accounts, play games and browse the Internet,
Salman Jaffer uses his for a vital reason: to talk. During his birth, Salman went through multiple
complications that affected his speech. To help him communicate, his family started him out with the picture exchange communication (PEC) system—a folder full of pictures. When he wanted something, he would pull a photo out of the folder and show his parents. The next thing the family tried was the iPod touch. “He has a twin brother and he
always wants to do what his twin does,” Salman’s mother, Nabeela says. “So when his twin brother got an iPod touch, he also wanted one. We bought him one, but he really wasn’t able to use the games much.” Trying to replace the PEC system and utilize
the iPod touch, Nabeela searched the Apple app store for a tool to help her son communicate. Unable to find one, she took matters into her own hands and created a custom app for Salman, who was 12 at the time. “We just needed something simple,” Nabeela says. “The
thought at the time was, ‘What if we have a very basic app, which we can keep adding his vocabulary to?’” Created in 2010, “My Words” allows users to add words onto flashcards. With the press of a button, the app will say the word
In Memoriam, Continued
Michael J. Proctor (BBA79) Detroit, June 21 Robin A. Bowns (BA81) Alpena, May 13 Timothy E. Lomas (MBA81) Grand Rapids, June 6 Elizabeth Mall (BS81) Ann Arbor, July 20 Virginia K. Dufour (BBA82) Ann Arbor, Aug. 28 Bernice G. Maynard (BS82) Ann Arbor, Oct. 17 David W. Hicks (MA82, SPA86) Punta Gorda, Fla., June 29 Randall D. Reigle (MA82) Flint, Sept. 18 James D. Showkeir (MA82) Phoenix, Ariz., Aug. 21 Joyce J. Stefanski (MA82) Westland, April 20 Patrick. W. Brandt (BFA83) Midland, Aug. 29 Kathleen M. Cantine (BS83) Jackson, May 16 Charles W. Maurer (MLS84) Jacksonville, Fla., Oct. 3 Timothy J. Burton (BS85, MA87) Superior, May 26
Kristin E Schlief (BSN85) Fallbrook, Calif., Sept. 22 Todd E. Miller (BS87, MA89) Jackson, Oct. 9 Thelma J. (Snedaker) Dell (BS88) Edwardsburg, Sept. 8 Laura M. Jacks (BSN88) Ypsilanti, April 26 Heather M. (Johnson) Markert (BBA88) Sedona, Ariz., June 30 Randy J. Bialecki (MA91) Sylvania, Ohio, Sept. 1 Brian K. Fether (MA92) Adrian, June 2 Kathleen M. Myers (BBA92) Grand Rapids, Aug. 17 Jennifer A. (Bolender) Dornseifer (BS93) Ypsilanti, May 6 Richard F. Neff (BBA95) Kenmore, N.Y., July 17 Michael E. Peyton (BS95) New York, N.Y., Sept. 16 Arthur A. Rockall (MA95) Stockbridge, June 29 Kevin Jones (BS96) Canton, Aug. 15 Bonnie (Larson) Oke (MOT98) Rochester, June 8
Larry A. Best (BBA99) Lansing, Aug. 20 Terri L. (Schooley) Cunckle (BS99) Jonesville, Oct. 12 Brent P. Mauntel (BS00) Ann Arbor, Aug. 11 Lynn R. Bosom (MSW01) Jackson, May 4 Leigh A. (Charpie) Henn (BS01) Erie, Oct. 4 Florence A. Montgomery (BS02) Ypsilanti, June 5 Sylvia (McNabb) Tillman (MS02) Dearborn, Oct. 18 Serge J. Cote (BS06) Canton, Nov. 5 Crystal L. Westfield-Lapointe (MA07) Ann Arbor, Oct. 19 Christopher T. Smith (BBA07) Detroit, Oct. 1 Shawn T. (Lindberg) Reichow (MSW08) Troy, July 31 Sarah J. Leader (BS09) Napoleon, Ohio, Nov. 14
for them. Words can be arranged in folders, such as “food” and “names” for easy access. “One big advantage of this app is that he has confidence
that people will understand him,” Nabeela’s husband, Mateen, says. “Because of that, his frustration has come down.” Salman was able to demonstrate how to use the app when his parents presented a TEDx Talk at University of Michigan Dearborn. Nabeela and Mateen discussed raising a son with special needs and how it led to the creation of the app. At the end, Salman took questions from the audience and answered with the “My Words” app. “Our love for our son drove us to
engineer a solution for him,” Mateen says.
“It gave us the ability to create this app.” The couple are raising their five kids and
running a local computer repair business in Ypsilanti. They originally met and married in Pakistan,
before coming to earn degrees in the U.S. and receive master’s degrees from EMU. With a business and family to run, Nabeela and Mateen are thankful for their son’s ability to communicate with “My Words.” “There are a lot of problems in the future that we can’t
foresee,” Nabeela says. “But what we can foresee is that as long as we are working together and we have love in our life, we’ll
get through them.” 3 —Quinn Alexander
photo by Randy Mascharka
Eastern | WINTER 2016 35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44