What do I do when I have a learner with a communication aid?
Whether you’re a teacher in a special school or a mainstream school, at some point in your career you might have a learner in your class who uses a communication aid. This communication aid could be an electronic device, or it could be something paper-based, such as a book of symbols. It’s possible that you won’t have had any formal training about communication aids, or the wider field of Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC).
Faced with such an unexpected addition to your many responsibilities as a class teacher, it might seem daunting to try and figure out how the communication aid works and how you’re supposed to support your young person with using it. But don’t panic! There are a number of things that you can (and should!) do right away, to set yourself on the right path.
Check the communication aid for any stickers or markers telling you who provided it.
It’s possible that your learner’s family bought and set up the communication aid themselves. If so, speak to them about how to use the aid. However, it may also be the case that the communication aid was provided by an organisation, such as an NHS Specialised Service. If you can find any identifiers on the communication aid, such as stickers, see if it’s possible to get in contact with the provider, as they may be able to offer support and training. You can check out NHS Service Finder for contact details of specialised AAC service by going to acecentre.org.uk/nhs-service-finder
Check who made the communication aid and its AAC software.
Even if you can’t work out who originally purchased the communication aid, try to work out which company made it. Are there any brand identifiers on the equipment? What about the software that the learner uses to communicate? On electronic AAC, often these take the form of apps. If you can find the app’s name or logo, you can search for it online. Many companies that make communication aids and AAC software have a wealth of information on their websites to help demystify things for newcomers. Some companies even offer free training sessions. See if this is the case, and get in touch.
Speak to your local Speech and Language Therapist.
If you work in a special school, you may already be familiar with the speech and language therapist (SaLT) assigned to oversee your learners. However, if you’re a mainstream teacher, you might not know that speech and language therapists are the professionals who can best advise you on your learner’s AAC needs. It’s possible that your learner may be on the caseload of a speech and language therapist already, but this is not guaranteed. First, speak to your learner’s family to see if a speech therapist is already involved. If they have the contact information for this speech therapist, then get in touch. If they don’t have that information, speak with your school’s leadership or SENCO about how to get in touch with the appropriate local SaLT team. If you discover that there is currently no speech therapist involvement with your learner, but feel that there should be, speak to their family, who can in turn ask the learner’s GP to make a referral.
Call Ace Centre for Advice
If you’re struggling to find a reliable source of information about your learner’s communication aid needs, Ace Centre offers free advice over the phone and email, no matter where you are in the world. Email [email protected] or call 0800 080 3115 option 2 – Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1PM-5PM and we’ll do our very best to advise you on what to do next. If we can’t help directly, we can signpost you to other services that may be able to do so.
Book an Ace Centre Information Appointment
If you’d like a more in-depth chat about your learner, their communication aid, or their wider communication needs, we offer free 45-minute video calls, where two members of our clinical team will consider your needs and do their best to offer guidance. Book your appointment here.
Going Further: Getting Trained
If you’d like to up skill so you feel equipped to meet the needs of your learners with communication aids now and in the future, then Ace Centre offer a variety of training courses that could help. A good place to start is our AAC in the Classroom course. It begins with the basics: what is AAC and the forms communication aids can take, before tutoring you in how to meet the needs of learners with communication difficulties. Click here to find out more.
In Conclusion
The world of AAC can be overwhelming if you’ve not received any formal training in how to support learners with communication difficulties. There are many types of communication aids out there, paper-based and electronic, and even more varieties of communication apps. If you can speak to your local speech and language therapist, then do so, but if you’re struggling to find a reliable source of information to help guide your teaching practice in this area, then get in touch with us at Ace Centre. We’re specialists, and we’re here to help!
Written by Joe Doran, an AAC Consultant at Ace Centre. Previously, he worked as an Advisory Teacher for the Communication Aid Service East of England, and before this was a special school teacher. He’s always been interested in finding ways to make the world of AAC as straightforward and accessible as possible for his fellow teachers, and for parents too.
