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House panel will hear from assisted‑typing user and researchers amid validation concerns
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Summary
The committee scheduled testimony on a joint House resolution from Representative Burt to recognize assisted (facilitated) typing for people without speech; Chris Medina, a user of assistive typing, is expected to testify and Syracuse University researchers will be invited amid controversy about validation.
Chair (S2) said the committee will take testimony on a joint House resolution from Representative Burt to recognize assisted or assistive typing for people without speech. "It's a resolution from Representative Burt," the chair said, and added the resolution has prompted requests for testimony because there are validation concerns from some speech‑language pathologists.
The chair announced that Chris Medina, "somebody who uses typing to communicate," will appear and likely provide prepared remarks because typing responses take a long time. She also said the committee will invite Syracuse University researchers who have done significant U.S. research on the practice to provide technical context.
Committee members were warned that the topic is controversial in the field and that testimony will include both lived experience and academic research. Chair (S2) emphasized the committee will hear about training protocols and validation methods and that it is unclear whether the resolution will advance out of committee.
The committee did not vote on the resolution in the recorded portion of the meeting; next steps are to schedule Chris Medina and expert witnesses and proceed with the hearing.
