Mariam Nersisyan

My name is Mariam, and I am a full-time AAC user with cerebral palsy. I use Grid for iPad to communicate and have relied on AAC since I was in school, becoming a full-time user in Year 9. AAC has allowed me to express my identity, emotions, creativity, and thoughts with confidence and independence.

I served as a consultant for Armav, an Armenian AAC app that is now publicly available. I contributed lived experience and user-centered insights to help shape a culturally inclusive communication tool that supports Armenian-speaking AAC users. My work focuses on promoting accessible design, person-centered communication, and disability representation.

I am also the designer of a line of bags that feature AAC symbols. These bags raise awareness, celebrate communication diversity, and help make AAC more visible in everyday life.

I am passionate about advocacy, creativity, and challenging assumptions about non-verbal individuals. Through my personal story, I aim to raise awareness, inspire inclusion, and affirm that AAC users deserve to be heard, understood, and valued.

Disclosures:

Financial:

Mariam Nersisyan has no financial disclosures to report.

Nonfinancial:

Mariam Nersisyan has no nonfinancial disclosures to report.