DeFazio's Students Welcome Prentke Romich Represen

North Canton, Ohio, September 19, 2006 - Walsh University Professor of Intervention Specialist Education and Coordinator of Hannon Center Programs, Dr. Jeannie DeFazio has invited two representatives for Prentke Romich (PRC - www.prentrom.com) to speak at her ISE 340 Assistive Technology class on Wednesday, October 25 at 9:30 a.m. in the Paul and Carol David Family Campus Center Atrium at Walsh University.

Representatives of the Prentke Romich Company, Amy Sonntag and David Chapple will be the guest speakers for the event. Chapple both uses and helps develop the assistive technology that Prentke Romich manufactures for people with debilitating conditions such as cerebral palsy that make it difficult to communicate physically and verbally. Defazio's students complete service-learning projects each semester that apply to their Education degrees and the event is designed to give students experience and insight when engaging people with disabilities who use augmentative devices.

Chapple was recently nominated an AAC Hero by Prentke Romich. David uses an augmentative computer which consists of a head-pointing system designed to relay messages to the computer that communicates for him. Coupled with time and practice, augmentative computers take a unique accuracy that David has mastered and demonstrates for the community.

David is a 1994 graduate of Cleveland State University and has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Computer, and Information Science and a Minor in Communications. David started as an ambassador for PRC in 1996. In 2000, He became a Remote Troubleshooter, returning after-hours customer calls to PRC regarding technical service. David has also worked as a computer assistant, programmer, and software engineer for various companies around Northeast Ohio.

Amy Sonntag has more than 8 years experience in providing clinical services and serves as a per diem consultant for PRC in North Carolina. She earned her bachelor's degree from the College of Wooster and M.A. from Ohio University. Her interest in PRC began in high school with a friend who used one of PRC's previous devices. Amy serves the Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, Mansfield and Youngstown regions.

Based in Wooster, Ohio, Prentke Romich Company (PRC) is the world-wide leader in the production of augmentative communication devices, computer access products, and other assistive technology for people with severe disabilities.