Griffin Promise Autism Clinic Giving Nonverbal People A Voice

A Green Country autism clinic is giving people who can’t talk a voice.

Two women in Oklahoma are helping dozens to speak in their own way.

Meet Jacob Wright. His favorite color is blue, his favorite subject is math, and he's a soccer fan.

But until last year, he couldn't tell you that. The 18-year-old from Bixby has autism and apraxia, meaning fine motor skills like talking are difficult.

Jacob's mom, Marci Watts, heard about a method called “Spelling to Communicate,” or S2C.

She says in the past, she had to guess what he wanted to say, and now, she knows.

I can't even describe it, how overwhelming it was. It was like having your son back, having your son,” Watts said.

It's a form of communication through spelling with a letter board.

Jacob points to the letters to spell words and form sentences.

"My life has opened to endless possibilities,” Jacob said through spelling with Morton.

Torrie Morton and Stephanie Barton are the first trained practitioners of the Spelling to Communicate program in the state.

They're helping more than 40 spellers at Griffin Promise.

Morton works with Jacob.

"Having an autism clinic in Broken Arrow, we knew when we heard about it, we had to do it,” Morton said.

Jacob says this ability changed everything.

"Now I'm writing essays. Before, I was being taught my colors every day,” Jacob said.

His mom has noticed a huge change in his confidence.

"It's just lifechanging,” Watts said.

Jacob is now a junior in online public school in regular education. He's a straight A student and scored college level in standardized testing.

"And then, finally when his voice is able to be heard, the thing he wants to do with it is to make sure people like him get communication. That's his mission,” Watts said.

"I want the world to see who we are,” Jacob said.

He’s using his voice to help others find theirs too.

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