What does inclusive education look like when you commit to including every child?

Building an inclusive learning environment is a commitment to recognising and addressing the diverse needs of every child. It also means creating an environment where all children feel welcome, valued and that they belong, without having to ask!

Being intentional in the set up of your learning environment will drive successful outcomes in engagement and positive behaviour. Children who experience an inclusive learning environment develop not only academically, but also socially and emotionally.

Just as inclusive architecture focuses on creating environments that are usable by all people – in education, resources and adjustments that may be a priority for some, can be used by all to enable opportunity.

These resources and adjustments encourage learning environments to:

• provide information and content in various ways to accommodate diverse learning styles
• offer various ways for students to engage with the content, which encourages motivation and interest
• allow students to demonstrate their understanding in different ways, which recognises different strengths and preferences

When you minimise the barriers to learning and create an inclusive environment, ALL students are set up for success. This approach is particularly important in the early childhood setting, when needs may not yet have been identified and children are at different stages of development, with varying abilities.

Part of the equity and equality picture

There’s another buzzword you may have heard in education – Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

UDL guides the creation of learning outcomes, resources and assessments that work for everyone. While some children will need more individualised adjustments and tools to participate in an environment, UDL closes the gap that needs to be filled by an individual.

For example, height adjustable desks in a classroom mean that a child who uses a wheelchair some or all of the time, can still sit at the same desks and in the same space as all of the other children. In addition, taller children and smaller children can also set the desk to the height that best suits them rather than needing a cushion or having to sit at a different desk. These children ‘just fit’ in their classroom and there is no requirement to apply for extra funding, have special meetings to organise an appropriate desk, nor to encounter challenges when the class moves to a different room where the ‘special desk’ is not available. There may also be some days where all children would benefit from alternating between standing and sitting.

Communication is no different. Though the majority of children in our childcare and school settings communicate with spoken words, many need or prefer other methods such as sign, symbols, typing, body language and more. Many children benefit from alternate methods some of the time, or to enhance their expression or understanding through visual channels.

Just as PowerPoint, photos, maps and pictures add visual meaning and interest to our conversations and learning, visual displays can do the same for our children by expanding on the spoken word. All children can benefit from the inclusion of symbolic communication displays to enhance understanding, idea generation and expressive communication. With varied methods of communication available, those who need or prefer to use them will ‘just fit’ into their learning environment too. The communication displays also have a beneficial impact on those who may not speak English as a first language, may be shy, or as yet have not been identified as someone who may benefit from a personalised communication system.

It’s never one-size fits all, especially when we consider preferences

Remember that preferences are part of the equality equation and are an important component in creating your inclusive learning environment. Taking preferences into account is crucial because it acknowledges that children have different ways of processing information and engaging with their surroundings. And those preferences may change based on the activity or environment.

Considering preferences promotes a sense of autonomy and agency among children. When children have choices in how they learn and demonstrate their understanding, they are more likely to be actively engaged and invested in their learning process. It’s empowering to feel valued and supported when exploring your own unique interests and strengths!

As we aim to create an inclusive world that includes communication accessibility opportunities, we need to ensure that symbolic communication starts in the early years as a component of UDL (also referred to as Tier 1 support). We can not know which children may need or prefer to use symbols for communication later in life, nor those who benefit from the symbols to enhance their comprehension of speech. Rather than waiting to find out, let’s give opportunities early.

It’s better to be glad we did, than to regret we didn’t

Integrating symbolic communication into existing curricula can be done with a few simple adjustments. By incorporating visual aids alongside other forms of communication, all children will feel empowered to express themselves effectively. And as we mentioned earlier, embracing inclusive communication practices early, not only benefits people with specific needs, but fosters empathy and understanding among all children preparing them for a diverse and interconnected world.

At Two Way Street, we’ve started our quest to ensure that people see symbolic communication as ‘just part of it’ rather than it being different or special.

Our first Communication For All Pack is available now, for the Early Childhood setting. We’ve done all the work, so you can create a truly communication inclusive environment. The pack includes symbolic communication displays for common activities in kindy or childcare settings, along with posters that value, respect and represent symbolic communication, plus downloadable templates to help you implement inclusive communication practices.

Want to know more?

Take a closer look at the Communication For All Pack – Early Childhood. And get in touch with the team at Two Way Street for more information.

Transition tips

Most of us spend well over a decade of our younger lives at school. The transition from school to work, school to university – or to whatever life after school looks like – can be a tough one! And it becomes even more complex when you have a communication disability.

In this insight article, we share some strategies and ideas for you to help prepare your person to begin their new life after school, and be ready for whatever the future brings.

Talk about life after school

You don’t need to prepare anything for this, just talk as you normally would. If possible, use your person’s communication system to model the messages. Here are some ideas:

• “At the end of the year you will leave school” or “soon school will finish”
• “Maybe you feel worried, or excited. That’s ok, it’s a big change”
• “You can ask questions like… When am I leaving? Who is coming with me? Why am I leaving school?”
• “We will make sure you always feel safe”
• “You can still see your friends from school after you leave”

Social story

Create a story using Microsoft Word or the Pictello App outlining what will happen. Use photos and symbols. It’s ok if you don’t have all of the answers when you first introduce the story, you can add to it as you go along. Try to include photos of the school, your person and the key people in their lives. If you know where your person is transitioning to, whether it be further education, work or something else, start introducing this.

On-site visits

When you know where your person will be transitioning to after they finish school, organise some on-site visits as early as possible. It is important that the new setting, whether it is another educational facility, a workplace or somewhere else, becomes a familiar place for your person, to reduce anxiety they may experience about leaving school. Take photos if you can. Ask your person their thoughts about the visits each time they go. Try to gradually work up your days at the new location, so your person has an opportunity to get used to their new routine after school has finished.

Visuals

A visual calendar is a great way to support the lead up to finishing school and the start of their life after school. This may help you to talk about changes in their routine with symbols. A visual schedule may also help your person with new morning or afternoon routines once school has finished.

New vocabulary

Leaving school is a big change, so it is important to give your person access to the vocabulary they need to talk about it. If your person uses a communication app as part of their overall communication, you can program additional vocabulary to support the transition from school. Include the name of the place they are transitioning to once they leave school and the key people that will be in their lives. You could also create a chat page about the transition from school and questions that your person may ask. Be careful not to erase their school vocabulary. Most young adults still want to talk about school after they have left.

Involve the new team

If your person is transitioning to a new place such as a workplace or day options program, it is important that their new team understand how they communicate. You, your person and/or your speech pathologist can create a communication video talking about:

• What your person likes / doesn’t like (favourite footy team)
• How your person communicates (voice, sign, body language, PODD book, iPad with Proloquo2Go)
• How to use their communication system
• General communication strategies
• Activity ideas

These videos are an accessible and engaging way for others to get to know your person.

Connection with others

Once your person leaves school for the final time, find ways to stay connected and enable them to have conversations about their school experiences.

• Ask their teacher or school principle to record a video message. They could say something like “Hi . We miss you here at school. We hope you are doing well. We would love to hear about what you’re up to now”.
• Make a class photo easily accessible to your person so they can use this as a way to start an interaction about school.
• Ask the teacher to connect your person with a pen pal. This doesn’t need to be writing letters to one another. Instead, your person could create a message on their communication system. You could record them sharing the message in a video and then send it to their “pen pal”.

Keep learning

Learning doesn’t stop with school! Your person will have the opportunity to consolidate skills they have learned at school and pick up new skills on their post-school journey. Using these strategies, your person will be better prepared for life after school and empowered to embrace whatever the future holds. This is a new chapter full of possibilities and with your support and the right tools, your person will continue to thrive and grow in their own unique way.

Is your person already a client with Two Way Street? Talk to your Speech Pathologist about creating resources to support the transition from school.

Written by: Erin Morley, Speech Pathologist

When you’re little, emotions are big! Think back to when you were young. Did you throw an occasional tantrum? Did you have a bad day and go over it again and again in your head? Until you eventually talked about it with someone you trust and finally felt that huge sense of relief from a problem shared… Probably. 

We’ve all had a tough few years and kids have watched their world evolve in ways we could never imagine a short time ago. One of the main messages conveyed when the world was in the turmoil of a pandemic was to ‘stay connected’. We stay connected with one another through sharing stories, ideas, thoughts and even our sense of humour. And we use language to manage our emotions – to tell people how we’re feeling, to validate ourselves, to get help and to regulate ourselves. 

What happens when you have a communication disability?

So just imagine, you have a million thoughts in your head – some are worries about the future, some are funny stories about your day, some are wondering about what’s happening with your body… but, you need an augmentative communication system like a PODD or communication device, and maybe also a communication partner to share your thoughts clearly. You may not get the same opportunities to talk things through like your siblings or peers.

Emotional development is extremely intertwined with language development. During early years of communication, parents describe their own emotions and the emotions of their child. This ‘emotion talk’ is how we navigate our feelings and start to create our belief systems that stay with us through life. So it’s time to start talking about the important stuff with children with a communication disability, as early as possible, so they too can build a strong foundation for emotional well-being.

Here’s our top strategies on how you can start ‘talking about stuff’ to help manage those emotions

Set the scene

Just being aware that emotional development and language development go hand-in-hand is important. Think about all the things that happen in a day that can affect a child emotionally. Create a supportive environment, where you notice when your child may have had strong feelings about something. Celebrate and acknowledge those feelings when you notice them, and do that often! There may not be a response from the child yet, but it’s a great way to ensure they feel heard and can navigate those feelings. And keep talking about stuff in age appropriate ways! 

Provide learning opportunities

Make vocabulary available. Further to that, model emotional conversations. These conversations may be about something that happened that day or what’s happening in a story you’re reading. You can also scaffold and co-construct messages, to figure out what is happening for your child and help them learn what it means to feel a certain way, how to share their feelings with others and how to indicate why they’re feeling that way. 

Promote independence

It is crucial to encourage independent exploration and problem solving from an early age, no matter how a child communicates. Ask children to direct you when appropriate, respect preferences and begin to negotiate. Perhaps you could include your child in interviews with support workers. Any time you find yourself advocating for your child, add those messages to their communication system and show them how to advocate for themselves. Let them hear from people with lived experiences of communication difficulties. Always respect and enable privacy and authorship for anyone using AAC. Do they have the opportunity to talk privately? Can they tell you ‘don’t say that’ or ‘don’t tell anyone’?  Can they clarify a message, or say ‘that’s not what I meant’? 

By adopting these simple strategies, you can help your little one manage big emotions and navigate their world with confidence and resilience. 

Learn more

To learn more about positive emotional development in children with communication difficulties, take the FREE Two Way Street online course ‘Talking About The Important Stuff’. The course gives parents and key communication partners the skills and knowledge they need to enable meaningful conversations with their kids. 

Why an accurate representation of differences in our world matters, especially to people living with disability.

If you’re a white, middle-class male or female living without disability, you won’t need to look far to find someone you can relate to in the media. People just like you are on TV, in movies and can be seen on the pages of catalogues and magazines. 

Yet, if you’re living with a communication difficulty, or any type of disability for that matter, you’d be hard pressed to find relatable characters on your favourite media outlet. And when you consider that 4.4 million people in Australia live with disability, there’s a huge gap. That’s 18% of our population, or 1 in 6 people, unrepresented. It’s definitely time for a change.

Media is a powerful creator of perceptions. And it can also be used to create the cultural change that people living with disability would love to see. 

What happens when perceptions create your reality?

Our very own Communication Access Consultant, Margie Charlesworth, lives with Cerebral Palsy and has a communication difficulty. She uses her natural speech to communicate and also uses AAC when creating videos or presenting at conferences and to businesses looking to increase their communication accessibility. She is one of the smartest, funniest, most driven people you will ever meet and a great work mate to everyone at Two Way Street. And yet, Margie faces all kinds of perceptions around her ability to communicate. People STILL finish her sentences for her ‘to help’. And she goes from being respected for her knowledge and experience one minute, to being infantised and called a ‘good girl’ the next. 

In one of her ‘Street Talk’ moments, Margie explained how it feels to have people finish her sentences. “Finishing my sentences implies many things. It implies that the person who I am communicating with can read my mind, or that I can’t communicate my own messages. It also implies that I have difficulty expressing myself or trouble figuring out how to say it myself. And finally, it implies that people would rather not listen to my voice…” 

Imagine if Margie’s experiences were depicted somewhat realistically in the media! Those assumptions of Margie not being able to get her message across, or not being mature due to her communication difficulty wouldn’t exist. A person’s disability is an important part of their identity and is something we would love to see normalised in media representation.

This is what happens when someone dares to challenge the ‘norm’.

We’ve seen Target Australia using a model in a wheelchair to advertise kids clothing. Was that the first time a child in a wheelchair rolling through Target saw someone like them on an in-store advertisement? Potentially, yes!

We’ve just seen Disney release a remake of The Little Mermaid featuring a non-caucasion Ariel played by African American actress and singer, Halle Bailey. Reactions from little girls seeing their all-time favourite mermaid as someone they can relate to, again maybe for the first time, made the internet explode.

Our team was just as excited to see Val Kilmer using AAC in the Top Gun 2022 sequel, Maverick. In the movie, Iceman’s battle with throat cancer rendered him unable to speak without causing pain (emanating a little of what was going on for Val Kilmer in real life). He is seen typing sentences and pointing to his screen to get his message across. 

It’s this type of representation that needs to be included in mainstream media more. The every-day lives of people, all people, as valued members of society. This is why inclusion is important and representation matters. 

The many ways we can achieve representation.

Representation can also be achieved through communication modes. We have all become very familiar with the sign language interpreters during community announcements and emergency services briefings. Imagine if other modes of communication were as prevalent. Imagine if people who use modes other than mouth speech to communicate, could see their mode of communication used in advertising, signage and information media. 

We work with a range of agencies to create signage that is not only useful for people who need the symbols to communicate, but also represent this mode of communication within the community. Our playground communication boards are a great example. We’ve also been busy creating beautiful products, like our AAC cushion covers, to ensure that symbolic communication is seen and valued around the home. And we have more to come, so if you haven’t already, join us over on Facebook and LinkedIn to stay up to date.

We’re strong believers in that world where communication brings autonomy, belonging, connection and opportunity for everyone. But we still have a long way to go…

If you are a business or organisation and would like some representation at your site, online or within your advertising, give us a call on 0434 266 237.

Do you have a communication difficulty? Are you comfortable using AAC? If you answered yes to both of those questions, then we’d love you to join us on our mission. Get in touch with Two Way Street to find out more about employment opportunities. Email [email protected] and tell us a little about yourself.

A program that builds the capacity of children with complex communication needs and their key communication partners to have conversations that will improve their emotional well-being and self-advocacy skills.

Presented by Margie Charlesworth and Janelle Sampson at the AGOSCI National Conference in Hobart on September 4-6, 2022.

Abstract:

The ‘Talking About Important Stuff’ project aims to help children with complex communication needs (CCN) and  their parents talk about important topics such as health, hopes, worries, fears and the harder subjects such as death and loss. 

The program will target early development of skills such as emotional development, well-being, and self-advocacy with a particular focus (as a pilot program) on young children and their parents. At completion of  the  project, a free online training program will be available that includes video lessons, real stories, examples and practice activities so that parents can share and teach their children how to  talk about stuff. The training program will support opportunities for children  and their parents to  learn and practice vocabulary, skills, and habits. We also hope to build on their attitudes and insights into the uniqueness and autonomy of their children.

It is important to acknowledge that this project is not about doing or expecting anything extra than the natural conversations that occur for parents and their children who do not have CCN. We simply aim to ensure that children with CCN do not miss out on this valuable learning and connection with their parents and/or people. 

This presentation  will share the progress of the project to date including a literature review and input from the project advisory committee and content  contributors, many of whom have CCN, or are  parents of children with CCN. This information will make up the key messages to be presented in the online program. 

Creating bespoke services for people with CCN by design rather than the NDIS price guide.

Presented by Janelle Sampson at the AGOSCI National Conference in Hobart on September 4-6, 2022.

Abstract:

As providers in the disability space and in particular, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), we know there is no magic bullet. We also know that 1:1 therapy is only part of the answer, and often the more meaningful outcomes are achieved outside of therapy sessions where  motivation and engagement is much higher. The NDIS however has structured services so that the 1:1 becomes the standard and most sought after service for therapeutic intervention. In many places, we are frequently finding that demand outweighs supply for individualised therapy, particularly when it comes to those with knowledge and experience in AAC. We are left with long wait lists for individualised services and difficulty finding funding or justifying the costs for  innovative programs that may not easily fit  within the square (or price guide).

 
At Two Way Street (TWS), we have been negotiating the NDIS (formerly Better Start and HCWA) as funding for private services for 10 years. During this time, we’ve always had our eyes on the prize that is the bigger picture beyond 1:1 services. It has taken time, patience, dedication, hard work and financial risk on many occasions to expand our services beyond just individual therapy sessions and we are still only part of the way there. 

In this presentation, the TWS team will share the  milestones and challenges we’ve encountered on our way toward our BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) for the business that includes individual services alongside capacity building and community development, while maintaining a niche focus on people with CCN at the heart.  

We were thrilled to collaborate with Positive Partnerships to create a series of videos showing young people with complex communication needs using their AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) systems out and about. They’re chatting at home, school, and out in their communities.

These videos are available under Creative Commons, so can be shared and used for training in your workshops or at your events with appropriate citation.

Below are a few of the videos. CLICK HERE to view all 18 videos.

We hope these videos highlight how a robust communication system can provide your young person with autonomy, belonging, connection and opportunity!

Copyright Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment 2008 to present, unless otherwise indicated. This material was downloaded from the Positive Partnerships website (https://www.positivepartnerships.com.au) on 10 March 2022 and was not modified. The material is licensed under CC BY 4.0. The Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment, Autism Spectrum Australia and Positive Partnerships do not endorse any product or service that uses this material, make any representations as to the quality of such products or services, or is affiliated with or sponsors the provider.

As it’s AAC Awareness month, we thought it was time for me to take a wander down and revise “Word on the Street”.  My word is “Connection” I thought that would be easy! But nothing has jumped out at me, that was until the morning after our recent KYDX expo! I hope you all managed to connect with our Two Way Street booth, it was kind’a hard to miss our brightly decorated booth!

For those of you who have known me a long time, you’ll know that I prefer to use my natural speech. I guess it’s because I grew up before the era of communication devices. In fact, many of my childhood memories are of connecting with speech therapy, and learning how to sound letters such as “T” and “t” along with “Sss”! Having a device didn’t even occur to my parents, or if it did, I wasn’t aware of it – my natural speech has just been my default connection.

However, using my natural speech has made life a little tricky, especially when it came to employment.  I got my first communication device in 2010, as part of a pilot program. It was also where I first connected with the fabulous Two Way Street director, Janelle.

I have to confess that remembering to use the iPad, to speak for me was difficult to change the default pattern of using my natural speech.  I would make my presentation with it, but the minute they were done, I reverted to my natural ways! I hadn’t yet made the connection that using my iPad for everyday communication might help with everyday connections with people.

One of my roles at Two Way Street, is as a Communication Access Consultant and Trainer.  Communication Access is somewhat new to SA, and aside from the fact that I am paid for that particular role, my personal reason for being a Communication Access Consultant is to make life a little easier for others in our AAC Community.

• 

• 

To be honest with you, there are days when having a communication disability is the absolute pits! I go from having a valued and respected role within society to being called a “good-girl” by a 25-year-old in a blink of an eye!  But what is important is that we don’t give up on being out there, connecting with people and making a difference.

Written by: Margie Charlesworth

A sense of belonging is at the heart of inclusion.  At Two Way Street, we believe this to be true.  Inclusion is about more than a place, more than just being in the same room.  Inclusion is about a sense of belonging, about not only being accepted but about being valued and appreciated for who you are.

For people who need or prefer to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), this also means being valued and appreciated for the way they communicate, and that their voices are heard just as clearly as if it were oral speech.  So how do we develop a sense of belonging in our schools, communities, workplaces and families?

This article focuses mostly on schools, but similar strategies can be implemented in all other settings with the same underlying purpose. Belonging can only be achieved if a person can be themselves, share their thoughts, understand what others are saying and feel that they are heard and valued for their contribution. Good communication is at the heart of this process, and the success lies within the contributions each partner brings to the interaction. When the focus is on the shared success and connection, everyone can feel like they belong.

When we consider belonging in schools (or any setting), we have to start with connection. It is important from the outset to ensure that students who need or prefer to use AAC are able to connect with their peers and educators and visa versa.  When students with disability start school, there is often a lot of focus on how they will access the curriculum.  But what is arguably more important are the initial and ongoing connections within the school community that build and maintain relationships as they progress through their grades.

Some simple strategies to assist with building connections in school (or other settings) may include:

• Adding the names of educators, peers and common connections into the individual’s communication system (before they start school if possible) – this can be added as a link in the ‘people’ pages
• Setting up a ‘quick chat’ page, with messages directed to a range of peers or partners (such as, “can I play?”; “what have you been up to?”, “check this out”, etc), to enable quick and easy opportunities for conversations and play with their peers
• Sharing strategies with educators and other adults within the school community that can enable positive and successful interactions. (e.g., providing the student additional processing time when needed, allowing ‘wait time’ when interacting with the student, talking to the student the same way they talk to their same age peers). These strategies can also be shared in an age appropriate way with young children.
• At school and in the community, representation, demonstration and open acceptance of the varied ways that people communicate creates value, awareness and acceptance of methods other than speech. This includes using varied methods as well as providing information in varied methods where possible as well as making resources available to ensure that anyone can use AAC if they need or prefer to do so. It may benefit them in ways you may not have considered. Some examples of these might be aided communication resources that can be used by all students in early childhood or school, including fun and inclusive products like our cushions and mealtime mats, or encouraging schools, local businesses and councils to install communication boards for anyone who may need or choose to use them.
• For parents, sending a letter to the parents of students in your child’s class, to provide a simple explanation about how your child communicates; this allows parents to answer any questions that their children may have at home with simple, factual information

An important component of belonging is the sense that you are accepted and valued by your community.  For anyone who communicates using methods other than speech, the presence of AAC within the environment sends the message that their language is important, and valued.  Aided language displays (ALD), can be embedded into routines and activities that already exist.  This way, AAC becomes an enhancing component of existing activities, rather than an additional activity that separates the person from others.  Here are some examples of how AAC can be embedded into a school community (all of these examples are from inclusive kindergartens or schools in South Australia).

Embedding AAC tools within the environment is an important starting point in developing a sense of belonging for anyone who may prefer or benefit from their use.  The next step is to inform and enable other people in the environment to use the communication tools during interactions.  In schools, this should include everyone from the teachers, teacher aides, school administration staff, and perhaps most importantly, peers.  Within community settings, Two Way Street can train customer service staff to understand how to use other methods of communication as well as strategies for respectful interaction. When other people value and use an individual’s communication system (or other AAC tools) while interacting with them, it implies to the person that how they communicate is important, that their voice is valued, and that they belong.

In schools, a formal peer training session can be a useful strategy in supporting students to develop familiarity with their peer’s communication system, and building their confidence in interacting with their peer.  It is important to note that peer training sessions should be developed and run in collaboration with the individual and their family.

Activities in peer training sessions can include:

• A whole class discussion about all the different ways that people communicate
• Watching a video featuring a Person using AAC, such as:
  • For kindergarten / junior primary school students: Play School: Callaghan Visits the Library https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J64r9MBRt4g 
  • For upper primary / high school students: Lost Voice Guy at the Britain’s Got Talent Finals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2YJYVYYhfI 
• Small group activities in schools may include:
  • Playing a group game while using an aided language display (e.g. Simon Says). 
  • Going on a ‘word hunt’, where students have to find specific words / messages in (a copy of) their peer’s communication book or device.  The messages that are included in the ‘word hunt’ should be relevant and useful in supporting peer interactions (e.g. ‘greeting and manners’ words, sharing an opinion).  Once they have completed the word hunt, the students can also just explore the system to find other words then try using the words they have found in role plays or conversation.
  • Designing a communication board for the school environment.  This assists students to understand that communication happens all the time, and that they can be advocates for communication accessibility at their school. 
  • Contact us if you’d like assistance in peer training activities.

When people feel as though they belong, they feel accepted and valued by their community.  It is therefore the shared responsibility of individuals within a particular community to embrace each and every child and person for who they are, and to recognise their own unique strengths.  This also means valuing diverse methods of communication and by building a school or community that understands and embraces these methods.  This will allow everyone to be who they really are; to belong, in their schools and communities.  Because, to quote AAC user Sara Pyska, author of Inside My Outside,

“the feeling of being yourself with someone is priceless”.

To download free Aided Language Displays visit  https://twowaystreet.com.au/online-learning-and-products/ 

For more examples of children who use AAC in inclusive settings, visit https://vimeo.com/showcase/8678812 

For more information about building peer relationships for for beginning communicators in inclusive primary school settings, visit https://spaace.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Building-Peer-Relationships-2021.pdf 

It is great to see that more community places are coming on board with AAC and accessible communication. Maybe you’ve seen some of those cool communication boards in your local playground like the one below that we developed for the City of Playford Fremont Park Playground, in South Australia. Don’t forget though that Communication is a Two Way Street. A playground board is a wonderful tool for accessibility, but it’s only good if it gets used. Otherwise it’s just a nice decoration. We decided to put together some extra information and tips to make playground boards even better! What are they?

• An activity (ie. playground) specific communication board. The playground board has been designed to include a range of words and messages that are ‘predictable’ in a playground setting.
• A representation of the way that some people in our world communicate. This shows that those who created the playground acknowledge and respect this form of communication. It also creates awareness of this form of communication and may prompt people to learn more about the use of symbol-based communication boards.
• An added prop to enhance interaction for others who might also need it, such as young toddlers.

Who are they for?

• Playground boards were designed to be used by a child/person who is not able to successfully communicate their message with speech. This might be someone with a communication disability, a small child or someone who does not speak the same language as their peers.

• Playground boards can also be used by anyone at the playground and can be part of the game or just a different way to say things.

How to use them: The idea of the boards is that a child/person might point to the symbols to ask for, talk about, or direct activities. Below are some examples of the kinds of things you could say by pointing to the symbols on the playground board. Then their friend or parent, could use the symbols to answer them or take a turn about something else. It’s just like talking with symbols. An important note is that if you do have verbal speech, you can still talk while pointing to the symbols. Using the symbols just helps to get the message across clearly, or can be an alternative to speech if someone has a communication disability. If your child can’t independently go over to the board and point to the symbols, you might like to try some of these ideas:

• Point to (and/or read out) the messages and ask them to tell you ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when you get to the one they want to say. After they choose one, ask if they are done or want to add another word, otherwise you might only get half of the message.
• To speed things up, you might point to a column at a time first, then the individual messages. Watch this video to learn more about scanning the communication board.
• Maybe it would help if you take a photo of the board so that you can carry it around with you at the playground. That way you have it handy all of the time.
• If you are going back again, then print a copy of the photo, or download a copy of the playground board from the playground website if it’s available.
• If your child uses their own communication book or device, you could add some of the vocabulary from this board if you don’t already have it, or even make a page for this playground if you visit regularly. This is a great option because then you can talk about the playground before and after you go there too! It’s always great to tell others about the fun you’ve had or what you’re going to do first when you get there.

Extra Tips:

• Use the board yourself to talk to your child.  Doing this will help them learn how it can be used for lots of different messages (see examples below). It also shows them that it’s a good way to talk about things and to help them learn what all of those symbols mean.
• Don’t make them use the board if you already know what they are saying. This board is designed to enhance communication, not make them tell you something you already know.
• Encourage other children to use it with your child. There is nothing more motivating than seeing other children valuing and using something that you need to use. Your child will likely want to copy the messages they see others saying, or at least feel like they are not the only one using this board.
• The other benefit of encouraging other children to use the board is that they will always come up with more interesting messages. Children are not only good models for physical activity, but also for fun and interesting things to say.
• If your child is just beginning to use communication symbols, just show them 1 or 2 word messages rather than having to point to all of the words in a sentence.

Example messages: The playground board has a range of words and messages so that your child can say some of the predictable things they may be thinking when they are at the playground. Below are some examples of things they might be able to say or that you could show them how to say. Interaction is not just about asking for something. Lots of times children can do that just by pointing to the place in the playground. This board also gives them the opportunity to say other types of messages such as those listed below in orange.  Under each message type, are some example messages. The blue text shows words that you might find on a playground board such as the one in the photograph. We’ve also created 2 levels (Beginner and More Advanced) depending on the complexity of language you need to use.

Beginner (point to 1 or both of the symbols for the words in blue) then just say the other words.	More advanced You can show them how to combine words on the board. (point to the symbols for the words in blue) then just say the other words.
Talk about what they did or want to do
I bounced on the trampoline	I bounced on the trampoline
I want to go on the slide	I want to go on the slide
We had a BBQ.	We (I/me and you) had a BBQ.
Can you play the music	Can you play the music
Ask a parent or friend to watch them
I (me) can do it (watch me)	I can do it.
Can you see me? (Look! )	Can you see me? (Look!)
Let’s go basketball.	Let’s (you, me) go basketball.
I want you to look/(see).	I want you to look/(see).
Ask a question about something
Where is the slide?	Where is the slide?
What do I do on this?	What do I do on this?
Uh-oh. I don’t know how to climb up.	Uh-oh. I don’t know how to climb up.
Can you help?	Can you help?

Direct others
Can you bounce me?	Can you bounce me?
Stop the swing. I don’t like it.	Stop the swing. I don’t like it.
Can you help me go to the pond?	Can you help me go to the pond?
Can you push me (go) fast.	Can you push me (go) fast.
Tell you what they think
I like it. It’s fun.	I like it. It’s fun.
I don’t like (it) the trampoline. It’s scary.	I don’t like (it) the trampoline. It’s scary.
The music is too loud. I don’t like it.	The music is too loud. I don’t like it. Stop.
Enhance the activity
Go faster	Go faster
More climbing	More climbing
My turn again (more)	My (me)  turn again (more)
Stop. Go. Stop. Go.	Stop. Go. Stop. Go.
Interact with others
Do you want a turn?	Do you want a turn?
I’ll help you.	I’ll help you.
Let’s play.	Let’s (You me) play.
Where are you going?	Where are you going?
Talk about problems
Uh-oh. The boy fell over. (point to boy).	Uh-oh. The boy fell (fall) over. (point to boy).
I’m not finished. I don’t want to go.	I’m not finished. I don’t want to go.
I’m tired. Something’s wrong. Rest.	I’m tired. Something’s wrong. I want a rest/break.

And many more…. Are there any other messages that you can think of? Please remember these are just example messages and examples of the symbols you can use to say them. It’s important to use messages that are meaningful and useful to your own situation.

Make sure it’s not all work, no play!