About us
Shirley McNaughton
Shirley McNaughton, C.M., Ph.D. is a special educator who has been teaching, first children and then adults with cerebral palsy since 1968.
In 1971, as a member of an interdisciplinary team, she discovered and applied the language of Blissymbolics to the communication programs of children who were nonspeaking. The program was emulated around the world and Shirley led the work that resulted in the founding of Blissymbolics Communication International in 1975. She was the founding president of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (1983-86) and received the Order of Canada in 1989 for her work with persons with disabilities.
Since her retirement from the role of Executive Director of Blissymbolics Communication International in 1989, she has continued, as a volunteer, supporting the literacy and communication endeavours of adults who remain Bliss users or who are now Bliss Alumni refining their use of English print.
Shirley was a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Blissymbolics Learning Centre in 2001 and guided the Blissymbolics and Literacy program of the Centre from 2002-2006. In 2007, she completed a web-based instructional program called Bliss 101. Following the closing of the Centre, she gave direction to two literacy related projects supported by the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy.
She currently serves on the Board of Blissymbolics Communication International, and serves as Chair, Blissymbolics Communication Institute - Canada.
Andrius Raščius
Andrius is a Social worker who specialise in AAC teaching, assistive technology and has over 4 years experience in the disability sector as a trainer, support worker and researcher. Andrius has worked in Iceland for the last 4 years.
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