@Communi_con

AAC Specialist Teacher. Interests: AAC, AT, literacy, complex ASN & MFL (lots of acronyms!). All views my own. 📷communication_connections

 Hamilton, Scotland
Joined May 2022
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Communication Connections retweeted
CALL Scotland@CALLScotland11 Jun 2025
Wow what a start to our #ASLTechnology25 day here at Moray House, Edinburgh. Music from Limelight Music, @SMART_Tech Kris Astle, Keynote and a real buzz in the exhibition! You can still register to receive recordings of all sessions. aslandtechnology.org.uk
Photograph of people at an exhibition

ALT Photograph of people at an exhibition

Photograph of laptop with Teams meeting and presentation playing (monitor has photograph of person sitting near a horse in a field).

ALT Photograph of laptop with Teams meeting and presentation playing (monitor has photograph of person sitting near a horse in a field).

Photograph of presenter at the front of a conference audience.

ALT Photograph of presenter at the front of a conference audience.

Photograph of musicians singing and playing guitar and keyboard.

ALT Photograph of musicians singing and playing guitar and keyboard.

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Playing with a Minecraft creeper toy (green thing, first photo), my son said it needed an 'eye computer.' I had 3D printed toy AAC devices shared by AAC for All. Added screenshots of CALL Scotland Bookbug books and writing grids. The toys had fun reading, writing & chatting!
Photo of two plastic toys, a green Minecraft creeper and tiny batman, surrounded by 3D printed miniature AAC devices.

ALT Photo of two plastic toys, a green Minecraft creeper and tiny batman, surrounded by 3D printed miniature AAC devices.

Photo of an iPad displaying the Soundingboard app with a symbolised shared reading communication board by CALL Scotland. A Spiderman toy is standing beside the iPad and is holding a 3D printed miniature toy iPad with a printed copy of the same shared reading board.

ALT Photo of an iPad displaying the Soundingboard app with a symbolised shared reading communication board by CALL Scotland. A Spiderman toy is standing beside the iPad and is holding a 3D printed miniature toy iPad with a printed copy of the same shared reading board.

Photo of an iPad displaying a CALL Scotland Bookbug Grid writing grid. A hand in the bottom left corner is holding a 3D printed miniature iPad with a printed screenshot of the same writing grid.

ALT Photo of an iPad displaying a CALL Scotland Bookbug Grid writing grid. A hand in the bottom left corner is holding a 3D printed miniature iPad with a printed screenshot of the same writing grid.

Photo of a 3D printed miniature toy eye gaze device and three 3D printed miniature toy iPads, all with printed screenshots of CALL Scotland Bookbug resources.

ALT Photo of a 3D printed miniature toy eye gaze device and three 3D printed miniature toy iPads, all with printed screenshots of CALL Scotland Bookbug resources.

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Link to CALL Scotland symbolised Bookbug resources: symbolsforall.org.uk/bookbug… Scottish teachers can also access free accessible books: booksforall.org.uk/home/
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I used different resources to get a student's opinion on the tools we were trying out to enhance access to curriculum & communication through her iPad. A combination of symbols, rating scales and her AAC app. Referring to the board at the end to summarise was very helpful! #AAC
The image shows a black board with various printed symbols attached to it. The symbols are arranged in a grid pattern and show different assistive technology tools. The top row has three icons with a blue character showing a thumbs up, a character with arms outstretched, and a character with a thumbs down. In the column beneath the character showing thumbs up, there are symbols. From top to bottom they read "touch access" with a hand pointing to a touchscreen, "joystick" with an image of a joystick and "keyboard" with an image of a keyboard. The second column beneath the character with arms outstretched are two symbols, "trackball" with an image of a trackball device and "switch" with an image of a yellow switch button. In the last column beneath the character with thumbs down is a symbol with a "keyguard" with an image of a keyguard for a keyboard.

ALT The image shows a black board with various printed symbols attached to it. The symbols are arranged in a grid pattern and show different assistive technology tools. The top row has three icons with a blue character showing a thumbs up, a character with arms outstretched, and a character with a thumbs down. In the column beneath the character showing thumbs up, there are symbols. From top to bottom they read "touch access" with a hand pointing to a touchscreen, "joystick" with an image of a joystick and "keyboard" with an image of a keyboard. The second column beneath the character with arms outstretched are two symbols, "trackball" with an image of a trackball device and "switch" with an image of a yellow switch button. In the last column beneath the character with thumbs down is a symbol with a "keyguard" with an image of a keyguard for a keyboard.

Collage of two photos. Each photo includes a tablet displaying a communication app and a joystick control. In the left photo, the tablet screen displays three options with corresponding images: "like" with a smiling face, "ok" with a thumbs-up, "don't like" with a frowning face. Below the tablet, there is a joystick with a red button, a yellow button, and a blue button. A hand is seen pressing the joystick. In the right photo, the tablet screen displays three options with corresponding images: "yes" with a smiling face, "maybe" with a hand showing a "maybe" gesture, and "no" with a red X. Below the tablet, there is the same joystick control.

ALT Collage of two photos. Each photo includes a tablet displaying a communication app and a joystick control. In the left photo, the tablet screen displays three options with corresponding images: "like" with a smiling face, "ok" with a thumbs-up, "don't like" with a frowning face. Below the tablet, there is a joystick with a red button, a yellow button, and a blue button. A hand is seen pressing the joystick. In the right photo, the tablet screen displays three options with corresponding images: "yes" with a smiling face, "maybe" with a hand showing a "maybe" gesture, and "no" with a red X. Below the tablet, there is the same joystick control.

The image is a collage of four photos of a digital interface, each showing different rating scales with visual aids and text labels. The first photo shows three symbols and corresponding text for the words "easy," "ok" and "difficult" with a horizontal arrow below indicating a scale. The second photo shows three symbols and corresponding text for the words "all the time," "sometimes" and "never" with a horizontal arrow below indicating a scale. The third photo shows three symbols and corresponding text for the words "good," "ok" and "not good" with a horizontal arrow below indicating a scale. The fourth photo shows three symbols and corresponding text for the words "yes," "maybe" and "no" with a horizontal arrow below indicating a scale.

ALT The image is a collage of four photos of a digital interface, each showing different rating scales with visual aids and text labels. The first photo shows three symbols and corresponding text for the words "easy," "ok" and "difficult" with a horizontal arrow below indicating a scale. The second photo shows three symbols and corresponding text for the words "all the time," "sometimes" and "never" with a horizontal arrow below indicating a scale. The third photo shows three symbols and corresponding text for the words "good," "ok" and "not good" with a horizontal arrow below indicating a scale. The fourth photo shows three symbols and corresponding text for the words "yes," "maybe" and "no" with a horizontal arrow below indicating a scale.

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When planning for this session, I found that the Barnsley Assistive Technology team had updated their 'Means, Reasons and Opportunities' resources which are excellent to support gathering views on communication aids. Here is the link to find out more: assistivetech.barnsleyhospit…
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Playing with balloons while modelling paper & power-based AAC options. Between an app, this board, Makaton, speech & gestures, he said he wanted a different colour of balloon, I had to blow it up, let go then he had to find where it landed (I had to stay on the seat & not move).
Photo where a child's hand can be seen pointing to a strip of symbols attached to the top of a communication board.

ALT Photo where a child's hand can be seen pointing to a strip of symbols attached to the top of a communication board.

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Printed resources, objects & AAC to sing 5 Little Frogs. The student wanted to use the little plastic jumping frogs, as an added bonus he worked on his fine motor skills to make them jump in the pool. With symbols & device he instructed me to sing at different volumes and speeds.
Collage of four photos with printed images and objects related to the nursery rhyme, 5 Little Frogs. There are two kinds of toy frogs, one set of five green bath toys and one set of five different coloured plastic frogs which jump when you press them. A child's hand can be seen playing with the plastic frogs in two photos. In three of the photos, there is also an iPad showing the communication app TD Snap on screen.

ALT Collage of four photos with printed images and objects related to the nursery rhyme, 5 Little Frogs. There are two kinds of toy frogs, one set of five green bath toys and one set of five different coloured plastic frogs which jump when you press them. A child's hand can be seen playing with the plastic frogs in two photos. In three of the photos, there is also an iPad showing the communication app TD Snap on screen.

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Communication Connections retweeted
Craighalbert@Craighalbert27 Jan 2025
We are recruiting! Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Specialist Speech and Language Therapist / Teacher To apply, email your CV and a supporting statement (700 words max) to [email protected]. For more details, visit craighalbert.org.uk/workwith….
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Communication Connections retweeted
CALL Scotland@CALLScotland20 Jan 2025
If you are attending Bett on Wednesday morning @kirsteensteven will presenting at the SEND Theatre 11.15-11.45am. @BettGlobal #BettUK2025
Mrsksteven🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿@kirsteensteven20 Jan 2025
I'm excited to be attending BETT this week! Hope to make lots of new connections as well as catching up with old friends! @CALLScotland
Blue background with white and pink text - Text reads "Bett Excel London 22-24 January 2025 I'm speaking at Bett 2025! Get your ticket" Photograph of Kirsteen Steven in centre of the poster.

ALT Blue background with white and pink text - Text reads "Bett Excel London 22-24 January 2025 I'm speaking at Bett 2025! Get your ticket" Photograph of Kirsteen Steven in centre of the poster.

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For a recent professional learning session, we had fun with 'Core-e-oke' using communication boards. I've worked with several pupils who enjoy the back & forth of 'Hello/Goodbye' using paper & powered AAC. I often burst into 'The Beatles: Hello, Goodbye' while modelling. 1/2
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I normally stick to key words while modelling along to this song. In this video I've included all words to demonstrate the steps involved and that it will take longer to compose a message even when I know what I want to say and where the words are. 2/2
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Tried out the new 'Thinking Space' feature on Proloquo. I really like how we were able to visually organise our thoughts. Looking forward to exploring this further. Watching a Spider-Man film with my son & niece, we added a title and words to describe what we thought of it. 1/2
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I asked my son to think about his favourite thing from the weekend, what else he liked and anything he didn't like. This was the first time my niece had seen Proloquo, like many children first seeing a communication app, there was lots of babbling (tapping words repeatedly).
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Communication Connections retweeted
CALL Scotland@CALLScotland1 Nov 2024
Are you down with the vibe? Read Ceanna's most recent blog post on how to add a "vibe" when communicating using AAC apps and devices here bit.ly/blog211024 or via the QR code below. Very fitting given the theme for #AACaware24 was "Vibes of AAC".
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Another app smash. Grid 3, Canva, ChatterKid, Book Creator & CerePlay. I've been using this amazing story grid with some pupils (if you use Grid, find it on online grids, search 'Story Grid' or 'Story Grid). Pick a phrase from each page, you have a story at the end 1/4
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• Went back to story, he didn't like that the robot was a 'baddy' so changed it. • Using Canva, he chose images for pages (I brought up a few, he picked one he liked). • We used the ChatterKid app to add his voice to the robot. • With Book Creator, pulled it together. 3/4
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• For the reading voice in Book Creator, we listened to some voices and he chose the one he wanted. As I have the CerePlay Scottish voices on my iPad, we could choose a Scottish child's voice. • On the last page he wanted to do his own typing so we explored the keyboard. 4/4
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After a few technical glitches on a recent visit, the student decided we were done with school stuff. She asked if she could tell me a joke. We took turns telling jokes, saying whether they were funny or not. Love that her mum updates her jokes so she has new ones to tell!
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Do you know about the free symbolised Bookbug resources on @CALLScotland's Symbols for All website? There are printables, resources for Grid 3 & Grid for iPad, Clicker & SoundingBoard. This video shows how easy it is to find & download the ready-made Bookbug SoundingBoard files.
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SoundingBoard is a free app for iPads: ablenetinc.com/soundingboard… Here's the link to the Bookbug section on the website: symbolsforall.org.uk/bookbug… Bookbug is a fantastic early years programme by @scottishbktrust

SoundingBoard

A free augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app available in the iTunes store. It includes pre-loaded communication boards, or create your own with up to 20-message locations.

ablenetinc.com
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