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<p>Learn about what Augmentative and Alternative Communication is and all the different forms it can take. See real example of people using AAC and understand how you can support someone.</p>
<h3>Course aim:</h3>
<p>To raise your awareness of different forms of AAC, how they maybe physically accessed and how you can provide support.</p>
<h3>You will learn:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Who might benefit from AAC</li>
<li>To name different types of AAC, and understand when each type may be used</li>
<li>To name different ways of accessing electronic AAC</li>
<li>How to provide some basic support to someone who uses AAC</li>
</ul>
<h3>Course includes:</h3>
<p>Online learning activities and resources.</p>
<h3>Suitable for:</h3>
<p>Anyone working with people who use AAC.</p>
<h3>Special requirements:</h3>
<p>Log in to Ace Centre Learning</p>
<p><b>Cost:</b> £30</p>


On-demand course

Our courses focus on the use of Assistive Technology to enable independence, access to education, learning and leisure activities, and communication.

Online

Exploring Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) that supports face-to-face communication.

Communication

What is AAC?

<p>Learn about who might use Augmentative and Alternative Communication and how you can begin to identify someone who may benefit from AAC.</p>
<h3>Course aim:</h3>
<p>To raise your awareness of Speech, Language and Communication difficulties and how different people may benefit from AAC in different ways.</p>
<h3>You will learn:</h3>
<ul>
<li>To describe different types of communication needs and recognise how AAC can be of benefit</li>
<li>To identify skills required to use different AAC solutions</li>
<li>To reflect on an individual&#8217;s learning requirements for AAC</li>
<li>To identify where and who to go to for support</li>
</ul>
<h3>Course includes:</h3>
<p>Online learning activities and resources.</p>
<h3>Suitable for:</h3>
<p>Anyone working with people who use AAC.</p>
<h3>IPAACKS competencies:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Level 1 : Identifying need</li>
<li>Level 1 : AAC Assessment</li>
</ul>
<h3>Special requirements:</h3>
<p>Log in to Ace Centre Learning</p>
<p><b>Cost:</b> £30</p>




Who Needs AAC?

<p>Learn about when to start with AAC and important approaches to take when you are getting started. Build your confidence to have a go and get answers to some of the common questions people have about AAC.</p>
<h3>Course aim:</h3>
<p>To introduce the concept of the ‘least dangerous’ assumption and consider some common misconceptions in the field of AAC. This course will also suggest practical ways of getting started with AAC and signpost to further resources to help you.</p>
<h3>You will learn:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Define what is meant by the term &#8216;the least dangerous assumption&#8217;</li>
<li>Recognise how certain assumptions may impact on your interactions with individuals with communication difficulties</li>
<li>Clarify common misconceptions about introducing AAC</li>
<li>Be aware of tools and resources to support you in getting started with AAC</li>
</ul>
<h3>Course includes:</h3>
<p>Online learning activities and resources.</p>
<h3>Suitable for:</h3>
<p>Anyone working with people who use AAC.</p>
<h3>IPAACKS competencies:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Level 1 : Implementation</li>
</ul>
<h3>Special requirements:</h3>
<p>Log in to Ace Centre Learning</p>
<p><b>Cost:</b> £30</p>





When to Start with AAC?

<p><b>Reflect on your personal interaction style and develop communication partner skills to support communication for people with aphasia. You will have access to online activities to work through independently.</b></p>
<p><b>Course aim:</b></p>
<p>This course provides an introduction to supporting people with aphasia and identifies resources and strategies that be used.</p>
<p><b>You will learn:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>To understand why communication may be more difficult for someone with aphasia.</li>
<li>To know when someone with aphasia need support with their communication.</li>
<li>To describe different communication partner skills that can be used to support someone with aphasia.</li>
<li>To give examples of different resources that can be used by someone with aphasia</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Course includes:</b></p>
<p>Free access to online learning activities.</p>
<p><b>Suitable for:</b></p>
<p>Individuals who are supporting someone who has aphasia and want to learn more about how to do this effectively. Suitable for families and professionals new to aphasia</p>
<p><b>IPAACKS competencies:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Recognise when someone has communication support needs</li>
<li>Aware of the time and effort involved in learning to communicate using AAC</li>
<li>Aware of different modes of communication , and how these may be used in conjunction with AAC</li>
<li>Aware of how to communicate with people who use AAC</li>
<li>Act as a positive role model for others in their interaction with people who use AAC</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Special requirements:</b></p>
<p>Log in to Ace Centre Learning</p>
<p><b>Cost:</b> £30</p>


An introduction to supporting people with aphasia. This self-directed online course provides tips and strategies that you can do to communicate effectively with someone with aphasia.

Supporting Communication for People with Aphasia

<p><b>Reflect on your personal interaction style and develop communication partner skills to support people using aided language and symbols to communicate. You will have access to online activities to work through independently.</b></p>
<p><b>Course aim:</b></p>
<p>To raise your awareness of the fundamental skills required when interacting with a person who uses AAC</p>
<p><b>You will learn:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>To describe typical characteristics of AAC interactions</li>
<li>To identify 4 things that you can do to support an interaction with an AAC user</li>
<li>To use point talking with a communication chart to interact with an AAC user</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Course includes:</b></p>
<p>Free access to online learning activities.</p>
<p><b>Suitable for:</b></p>
<p>Anyone working with people who use AAC. This course will enable you to work towards the following:</p>
<p><b>IPAACKS competencies:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>AAC Leadership</li>
<li>Aware of how to communicate with people who use AAC</li>
<li>Act as a positive role model for others in their interaction with people who use AAC</li>
<li>Facilitating AAC Learning</li>
<li>Able to model positive interaction in relation to communicating with someone who uses AAC</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Special requirements:</b></p>
<p>Log in to Ace Centre Learning</p>
<p><b>Cost:</b> FREE</p>



Communication Partners

<p><b><i>&#8216;How can we prioritise communication without losing our focus on</i></b><br />
<b><i>curriculum needs? What can teaching staff do to embed the use of AAC into the </i></b><b><i>learning environment?&#8217;</i></b></p>
<p>Our <b>AAC in the Classroom</b> webinar forms part of a full day training offered to schools. It aims to highlight useful strategies for teaching staff to support the implementation of AAC systems throughout the school day.</p>
<h3>Course aim:</h3>
<p>This course provides an overview of ways in which we can best support our AAC users in the classroom. We will explore the principles of a total communication environment and promote ways in which we can facilitate use of an AAC system – paper-based or electronic – for functional communication.</p>
<h3>You will learn:</h3>
<ul>
<li>To support an individual in their use of a personal AAC system</li>
<li>To understand the principles of a ‘total communication environment’</li>
<li>Ways to promote the functional use of an AAC system to support learning</li>
<li>To understand the importance of your role as a communication partner in teaching and implementation of AAC</li>
<li>To identify useful strategies to support the implementation of AAC in the classroom</li>
<li>To identify potential challenges for implementation of AAC</li>
</ul>
<h3>Suitable for:</h3>
<p>Teaching staff and therapists supporting pupils to use their AAC system in the classroom</p>
<h3>IPAACKS Competencies:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Level 2: Implementation</li>
<li>Level 3: Knowledge of how to develop resource, using evidence base to inform activity</li>
</ul>
<h3>Course includes:</h3>
<p>A full day face-to-face session, plus 3 months&#8217; access to associated online learning materials.</p>
<h3>When:</h3>
<p>17th January, 2023, 10:00am-16:00pm UTC</p>
<h3>Where:</h3>
<p><a href="https://acecentre.org.uk/contact/oldham">Ace Centre North, Oldham</a></p>
<h3>Cost:</h3>
<p>£120.00 per person</p>


Runs on specific date

Oldham

AAC in the Classroom

<h3><strong>Developing Level (teacher-supported online study)</strong></h3>
<p>This webinar and self-directed online learning course encourages a more detailed look at communication partner skills. Explore skills to practice yourself and ways to support others to develop their skills.</p>
<h3><b>Course aim:</b></h3>
<p>To recognise the skills required to use AAC and how to positively support AAC interactions. This is a self-directed online course encouraging you to reflect on your behaviours as a communication partner and support the development of skills in others.</p>
<h3>You will learn:</h3>
<ul>
<li>To describe the skills required to use an AAC system;</li>
<li>To discriminate between directive and non-directive language;</li>
<li>To identify communication partners skills to develop;</li>
<li>To embed effective communication partner skills in a setting.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Suitable for:</h3>
<p>Practitioners supporting AAC users to develop their communication skills and learn how to use their AAC system effectively. This course will enable you to work towards the following:</p>
<p><b>IPAACKS competencies:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Implementation:
<ul>
<li>Knowledge of the role of skilled communication partners in enhancing communication for the person using AAC</li>
<li>Able to independently promote effective use of the AAC system to the team around the person using AAC</li>
<li>Able to identify the barriers for an individual and provide practical solutions to overcome them, seeking support if required</li>
<li>Aware of the underpinning knowledge required by the person using AAC</li>
<li>Support the person using AAC to develop the required knowledge and skills</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>AAC Leadership:
<ul>
<li>Act as a positive role model for others in their interaction with people who use AAC</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Facilitating AAC Learning:
<ul>
<li>Able to model positive interaction in relation to their communicating with someone who uses AAC</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Course includes:</h3>
<p>Webinar and self-directed online learning materials including videos and activities.</p>
<h3>Special requirements:</h3>
<p>You will be required to use MS Teams, and one of the following web browsers: Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Safari</p>
<p><b>Time:</b> 12pm &#8211; 1pm UTC. An MS Teams link will be available in the course when you log in.</p>
<p><strong>Cost: </strong>£30</p>


Webinar

Coaching Communication Partners

<p><strong>Developing Level (Teacher-supported online study)</strong></p>
<h5>This course is in two sessions:</h5>
<h5><strong>Part 1: Thursday 8th February 2024,</strong> 09:30-12:30 UTC: Learn about the development of the Pragmatics Profile for people who use AAC and how to administer it.</h5>
<h5><strong>Part 2: Thursday 7th March 2024, 09:30-12:30 UTC: </strong>Discover how to use the profile to identify appropriate vocabulary for AAC and create communication targets to support personal development.</h5>
<p><b>Course aim: </b></p>
<p>Explore the Pragmatics Profile for People who use AAC and receive guidance and supervision to complete the profile and utilise information gathered to plan further interventions.</p>
<p><b>You will learn:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>To describe a person’s functional communication skills</li>
<li>To use the Pragmatics Profile for People who use AAC to identify communication targets</li>
<li>To plan targeted activities to enable communication development and measure progress.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Suitable for:</b></p>
<p>Practitioners working with people who use AAC who are responsible for identifying AAC requirements and enabling use of AAC across different environments. This course will enable you to work towards the following :</p>
<p><b>IPAACKS competencies:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Assessment
<ul>
<li>Able to carry out an informal AAC assessment with guidance and/or using an existing proforma</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Implementation
<ul>
<li>Able to select and format vocabulary appropriate to the person using AAC, with guidance as appropriate</li>
<li>Able to independently set personalised goals and monitor change against these goals</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Review
<ul>
<li>Aware of the need to monitor whether or not an individual’s current AAC system continues to meet their needs</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Course Includes:</b></p>
<p>This is a teacher-supported online course and includes 3 months&#8217; access to online learning materials and 2 live webinars.</p>
<p><b>Special requirements:</b></p>
<p>A copy of the Pragmatics Profile for People who use AAC available from: <a href="https://acecentre.org.uk/resources/pragmatics-profile-people-use-aac/">https://acecentre.org.uk/resources/pragmatics-profile-people-use-aac/</a></p>
<p>You will be required to use MS Teams, and one of the following web browsers: Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Safari</p>
<p><b>Cost:</b> £120</p>


Implementing the Pragmatics Profile

<p>This taster webinar aims to provide an overview of ways in which we can enable children to use their AAC systems within play activities.</p>
<p>We recognise the importance of developing communication skills through fun, motivating activities.</p>
<p>This taster session is an introductory level course suitable for anyone supporting a child/young person using AAC. It will explore different types of play, and share some suggested ways in which we can promote the functional use of AAC during play.</p>
<p><b>Date: </b>9th February 2024</p>
<p><b>Time:</b> 12:30 &#8211; 13:00 UTC</p>
<p><b>Cost: </b>Free</p>


Using AAC to Play

<p><strong>Introductory Level  (Face-to-face)</strong></p>
<p>This two day introductory workshop is hosted and delivered at Ace Centre in Oldham by our certified PODD trainer, Suzanne Martin.</p>
<p>The course aims to discuss the teaching and learning strategies for implementing PODD communication systems and is taught as a <b>face -to-face</b> course. Because of the nature of the content, there will be no remote attendance.</p>
<p><b>Learning Outcomes: </b></p>
<ul>
<li>The challenges faced when creating communication systems in relation to vocabulary organisation, layout, design and range of access strategies and when customising systems to meet individual requirements;</li>
<li>The importance of receptive language input and of creating a language learning environment;</li>
<li>The features of a PODD communication system, including vocabulary organisation, layout, design, range of access strategies, and how these can be customised to meet individual requirements;</li>
<li>How to use PODD generic template resources to produce customised communication books.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Schedule: </strong></p>
<p>Wednesday 14th February 2023: 09:00 &#8211; 17:00 UTC</p>
<p>Thursday 15th February 2023: 09:00 &#8211; 17:00 UTC</p>
<p><strong>Cost: </strong>£225</p>
<p>Directions to Ace Centre can be found here: <a href="https://acecentre.org.uk/contact/oldham">https://acecentre.org.uk/contact/oldham</a></p>



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