Welsh disabled author, inspirational speaker and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) user, Gavin Clifton will share how technology has given him a voice and transformed his life at the Communication Matters International ACC Conference in Leeds this month.
The three-day event is the UK’s leading annual conference for AAC featuring, speakers, presentations and workshops, brings together 450 delegate from across the UK and beyond, including AAC users, family members, speech-language therapists and assistive technology suppliers at the University of Leeds.
This year, Communication Matters, a registered UK charity that supports people with little or no clear speech in using AAC, will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its conference. The theme: ‘Communication Without Limits,’ reflects the charity’s commitment to ‘ensuring that everyone has a voice, regardless of the challenges they face’.
Using his AAC device and AI-Voice assistive technology to support his speech, Gavin will deliver his plenary talk, ‘Something To Say’, drawing on his lived experience of cerebral palsy and share how technology has opened the door to a career as an author, speaker and disability advocate.
The South Wales-based children’s author, 44, who was born with cerebral palsy and severe speech impairment, will talk about his experiences as a writer, songwriter and speaker, and how they shaped his understanding of what it means to communicate on his own terms.
Best-known as The Disabled Author, Gavin, of Pentwynmawr, near Caerphilly, has published three children’s books that celebrate and embrace differences, disability, acceptance, friendship, kindness, courage and being ‘unapologetically yourself’, including his best-seller ‘Max and The Magic Wish’, as well as his autobiography ‘Cerebral Palsy & Me’.
He said:
“It is a huge honour and privilege to be invited to speak at 40th anniversary conference.
“It is recognition, not just of my own journey with AAC, but of the fact that AAC users have something worth saying and deserve to be heard on the platforms that matter.
“This year’s theme is something I believe in passionately. Disability should never be allowed to define what someone can say, achieve or contribute. When people are given the right tools and support, their voices can challenge perceptions and change lives.
“For me, communication isn’t simply about finding a way to speak. It is about having a voice, being heard and recognised as an individual. AAC didn’t change who I was. It changed how the world could hear who I was.
“There was a time when many people underestimated what I was capable of because they struggled to understand my speech. Today, I have the privilege of addressing hundreds of people at the conference. That shows the incredible difference the right technology, support and belief can make.”
The finalist in the 2025 Communication Matters Arts Award, which recognises the achievements of AAC users, professionals and advocates, added:
“I hope sharing my journey will encourage people to see beyond disability and recognise what is possible when everyone has an opportunity to communicate.”
Communication Matters Trustee, Tina Voizey, said:
“In our 40th anniversary year, it felt particularly fitting to invite a speaker whose experiences reflect our conference theme.
“Gavin is a writer, speaker and AAC user whose work highlights the many ways people can find and express their voice.
“We are delighted to welcome him as our plenary speaker and look forward to hearing about his journey as a writer, his experiences of using AAC, and the role communication has played in his personal and professional life.
“Gavin’s story is a powerful example of how communication can open doors, create opportunities and enable people to share their ideas with the world.”
Gavin will follow the keynote speaker, Jeff Higginbotham PhD, Professor Emeritus at the University of Buffalo, USA.
The Communication Matters International AAC Conference takes place between 13 and 15 September, 2026 at the University of Leeds.
