Malkara Specialist School has made a strong commitment to ensure all students at the school with Complex Communication Needs have an appropriate Augmentative and Alternative Communication System, that the systems are used daily and that all staff have appropriate training in using the systems and in becoming good communication partners. As a result, students at Malkara are daily becoming more competent communicators.
In 2012 the school executive established a trial Proloquo2Go Classroom to look at implementing good quality AAC intervention and support for a trial group of students, focusing on students who had a recommendation from a speech pathologist to use Proloquo2Go.
In 2013 the school implemented aided language displays throughout the school. All staff were required to wear and use aided language displays. This was highly successful, with many students learning to use symbols for a range of communicative functions and with positive outcomes in terms of student’s receptive and expressive language and in creating a community of more skilled communication partners. In addition, a number of students had their own AAC systems. PODD books, followed by iPads with Proloquo2Go, were the most common systems, but low tech core vocabulary systems, PECS and other AAC apps on iPads had also been recommended for some students. Staff received training and practice on using and supporting these systems although the primary focus for the whole school was on aided language displays and aided language stimulation.
In 2014, the whole school focus was on increasing aided language input. Teachers were asked to use aided language for at least 50% of the school day and the range of aided language displays was increased. Further work was done on helping staff to become competent with their students’ AAC systems so that aided language could happen using the systems appropriate for each student. A PODD working party was established to build resources for whole school training around implementing PODD.
Overall, the school has made a significant and sustained commitment to creating a community that supports and uses AAC daily. The whole school community has recognised the importance of ensuring all their students with complex communication have a “voice” and have worked hard to ensure that this has happened in an appropriate and sustainable way. As a result, all staff have become much more effective communication partners and the students attending the school are becoming much more competent communicators.