By all accounts, Brian Binette is a "tough" and sometimes "stubborn little guy" who everyone likes. Some of his best friends have tracked his progress through Saco area public schools and colleges to where he currently works as a mentor at Saco Island School. He recently acquired his fifth upgrade of assistive technology to enable voice communication.
"Yes. I've known Brian since he was in eighth grade," said Bud Pressley, director of Saco Island School. He said his former student (now his employee) never misses a day of work. "He is such a survivor! I always worry about his respiratory comfort, but Brian is so strong. And now that we work together, I consider him a true friend."
Binette, 28, uses a head-switch-activated "Pathway" communication device. With the option of speaking directly with people or working through a computer, Binette is able to communicate verbally (using a computer-generated voice), in print, or through digital format.
Assistive technology helps him live with spastic cerebral palsy, a condition that causes his limbs to spasm and involuntarily flail about. This lifelong challenge has severely limited his mobility and verbal communication. Binette uses a wheelchair and requires one-on-one personal care.
"I think people are sometimes intimidated by the thought of using new technology," said Binette through his computer. "But, believe me. These devices can improve the quality of people's lives." He went on to explain (in text) that he strongly resisted a previous upgrade of his communication equipment. "I thought I could use my hands quicker than I could use a head switch. But, over time, the new switch has become second nature to me."
Job Placement Services Director David Brossman has worked with Binette to get the most "bang for the buck" out of several technology upgrades. "It hasn't been easy," he said. "These pricey devices are like driving a Lamborghini. It's one thing to get one and quite another thing to drive it. Even after four years, we are still learning how to tap more capability from this technology." Technical support, programming, and training are huge factors, he said.
But, as many stressed, Binette persists in overcoming his frustration and anxiety about technology. Today, his accomplishments are notable. He received a college degree after five years of study and is now doing a teaching/mentoring job share with his Personal Care Assistant, Dick Belanger. In his spare time, Binette writes speeches and a column for the school newspaper. He pioneered setting standards to receive foreign language college credits for learning how to communicate through a communication device.
Binette and Belanger spend a lot of time together. On the day of this interview, the duo had just returned from hauling in hay with a team of horses on Belanger's nearby farm. Though the relationship is founded on a need for assistance and employment, the two men share similar interests, including a desire to continue their college education.
Assistant Professor Norma Bisulca had Binette and Belanger in her statistics class taught at L/ A College for the University of Maine at Augusta.
"Their attendance and attitudes were excellent," the math teacher said. They participated in class through interactive television received in Saco and also within a face-to-face setting in Lewiston.
"Brian quickly became part of the class of 15-20 students," Bisulca said. "It was just a regular class and Brian required no accommodation other than extra time to complete exams."
Brian Binette lives with his parents in an accessible home near the Biddeford-Saco Country Club.
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