Talking Mats is a powerful tool used by many professionals supporting people with communication difficulties to express their feelings and views.
In 2021, the Readiness for AAC Talking Mats resource was released which Ace Centre co-produced with Talking Mats to help potential AAC users become more active participants in the decision-making process around using and selecting AAC tools. You can learn more about that project by clicking here.
Our collaboration with Talking Mats didn’t end there. We are very excited to announce that we worked together again, this time alongside the Scottish Centre of Technology for the Communication Impaired (SCTCI), to deliver a new resource called Supporting Communication with AAC.
Designed to be used with AAC users, alongside their existing AAC, this resource can be used both in conversations about their current AAC or conversations to assist in introducing new AAC.
The resource, available as cards or digitally, covers three topics:
Your communication: understanding someone’s communication needs in terms of where, who and how they are communicating.
Joining in conversations: to find out how the AAC user feels about their participation in conversations.
How your AAC works: exploring how the functional features, appearance, sound, and access, of someone’s AAC system works for them.
Ace Centre also worked alongside Talking Mats to produce an AAC Advanced training module. A self-directed online training module was designed with reflective practice at its core. It includes video examples, interactive quizzes, case examples and information around:
Using the new Supporting Communication with AAC resource including case examples of when and how to use it.
Supporting access for people who use AAC and Talking Mats by giving suggestions on making physical adaptations when the ‘traditional’ Talking Mats set-up (taught in the Foundation course) is not appropriate
Addressing the conversation dynamics when an extra person is present during the conversation to make the Talking Mat accessible for the AAC user.
Lastly there is a forum for participants to reflect on how they have applied the knowledge gained in the training module to their own practice. Feedback from early adopters of the training has been very positive!
‘Looking back at some Talking Mats I have done with people present I now realise this may have influenced the thinker.’
‘The course was very helpful in understanding ways to use a communication device alongside the Talking Mat.’
You will need to have completed Talking Mats Foundation training to access the Supporting Communication with AAC resource and AAC Advanced Training Module.
Head to www.talkingmats.com to purchase the module and resource individually at £55 +VAT each, or combine both together with a saving of £25 https://www.talkingmats.com/product/aac-module-plus-resource/
