October marks Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Month, raising awareness for the tools and strategies used to replace speech for those with limited verbal communication.
Many students at Seashell use AAC to express themselves and be involved in decision making. Examples can include sign language, facial expressions, body language, gestures, pictures and symbols, and electronic communication devices.
Sarah Nottingham, Speech and Language Therapist, said: “Creating a language-rich environment for the individual will actively encourage communication and development. It’s important to ensure you are using and modelling descriptive language, labelling items and narrating actions through their daily activities to expose them to new vocabulary.”
The team have created an A-Z of AAC, with their top tips on how to support someone with AAC. This resource has been shared in several universities to raise awareness and promote inclusivity.
Seashell staff Caroline Gosling, Speech and Language Therapy Lead, and Caireen Sutherland, Programme Lead & Senior Lecturer in MQ MSI, attended the Communication Matters conference last month, facilitating a workshop about the holistic assessment of AAC for those with a sensory impairment.
As a centre of excellence, it’s important to us to share our expertise to improve outcomes sector-wide. We are so proud of our specialist staff, who attend conferences across the UK to champion topics close to our hearts and facilitate inspiring discussion.
We have to raise an excess of £1.5m a year to fundraise for the everyday needs of our students, including specialist equipment needed to support children and young adults with AAC. Thanks to our generous supporters, we can offer students high-tech communication devices like tablets and specialist software.
