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Developing and Using a Communication Book Package

DUCB package contains several elements which include:

• Guidebook: presented in an A5 file
• Demonstration Pages: included in the guidebook
• Templates: Free to download for Boardmaker, InPrint and Mindexpress
• Training:  Introductory and Developing levels from Ace Centre Learning 

Guidebook:

The guide offers clarity for parents, carers and professionals in developing communication books that progressively helps people to communicate an increasing number of messages.

• A stable core vocabulary that is available from every topic page, encouraging its use. The core vocabulary is developed through five stages.
• Suggestions for developing a fringe (topic-based) vocabulary that can meet an individual’s interests, needs and varied environments at each stage, with plenty of examples included.
• An emphasis on combining symbols to communicate rich ideas rather than focusing on producing grammatically correct sentences for face-to-face communication .
• A suggested structure for organising pages and accessing vocabulary with a menu, tabs and supports for moving around the book.
• The importance of a communication partner who is taught, through the guide, to model and use the symbols during communication and to support and scaffold the learner’s own communication attempts.
• For each stage, clear guidance on readiness, along with specific aims for both the communication partner and the learner.

The guidebook covers all of the essential questions that need to be answered when creating a communication book, such as:

• What vocabulary do I put in the book?
• How many pictures or symbols do I use on a page?
• Where and when do I start to use the book?
• How do I develop the book over time?

Demonstration Pages

The Demonstration Pages are example communication book pages that aim to bring to life the practices and principles described within the guide. There are multiple pages included at each stage that illustrate how pages can be made to suit a wide variety of ages and interests.

Templates

Free downloadable files for creating, personalising and printing pages for a communication book within your own software. The templates are compatible with:

• Boardmaker 6 and Boardmaker 7 for Picture Communication Symbols (PCS)
• InPrint for Widgit symbols
• InPrint 3 users download templates from this page
• InPrint 4 users can find the DUCB templates freely available within the 'Communication' template folder included in InPrint 4
• MindExpress for Symbol Stix, can be edited for PCS or Widgit

Please note: these files download as a .zip files. Please extract the individual template files before opening in your symbol software.

Vocabulary Worksheet

Support to help generate ideas about words and pages relevant to an individual which can be used to personalise or expand their communication book.