Thanks all for the suggestions. He has a flap for a tongue put in during the reconstuction. When he is able to plug his trach he can make some sounds. The speech therapist says she thinks she can get him speaking some. He is so conscientious about doing therapy that he'll talk if anyone can in his condition. There was an ad in our local paper for Speech and Hearing Week. They mentioned many differnt assistive devices for communicating. I'll give the numbers in the ad a jingle when the week-end is over. The one that lets you use a phone seems especially handy.

Thanks again.
Lowanne