**Please note ‘educational setting’ refers to any school environment and ‘staff’ refers to any educational staff member

Educational staff may have children in their classes who are trialling or using an AAC device. This can be a new experience for some staff members and will require support from an SLT. Some staff may have experience with some forms of AAC but perhaps not the exact device their student uses.

As an SLT, you play a vital role in support staff members to embrace the AAC device and feel empowered to use it on a day to day basis. Here are some suggestions of ways to support you in this role:

              Take away the mystery:

1. Many staff members may not have seen or held the device before. This creates an air of mystery and potential lack of confidence when discussing the use of AAC in the classroom
   
2. Where possible, provide the staff with a model of the device (or similar) and allow them to physically hold it, examine it and if possible, spend some time with it.
   
3. It is important to include the educational setting in any trials to allow the staff to become more familiar with the device and also how it could be integrated into the school day
   

                Set SMART goals collaboratively:

1. Setting SMART goals with the educational setting with the staff will be much more effective than approaching the staff with pre-set goals
   
2. Your goals may be the same across home/school however the implementation and activities required may differ. Allow the staff to tell you about the student’s day and help to insert opportunities for communication into already existing routines.
   
3. Establish who will take on responsibility to ensure the goal is targeted at different times- this may require some discussion about who works with the child at the identified times.
   
4. Take on feedback. Even the best thought out goals can sometimes require adaptation. The recent COVID crisis has shown us that goals, roles and environments can shift rapidly so adapting will be important
   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Goal	Activities/Times of day	People involved
X will use his device to identify his choice of food from a selection of 5 symbols at school	Small break Lunchtime	X SNA (breaktime) Teacher (lunchtime)

 

 

           24/7 access:

1. With appropriately set goals, staff should see that the device needs to be with the child at all times, not just at ‘set’ activity times. Language has a 24/7 existence and access to a communication device should reflect this
   
2. Listen to any identified barriers and try to overcome them e.g. portability of device is an issue so you may need to address this by getting a strap or bag for the child

            Modelling

           Insurance

            Individual Education Plan (IEP)

1. Inclusion of the student’s AAC device and communication device in their IEP is encouraged. You may be able to attend the IEP or encourage the parents and staff to ensure the device and goals are recorded and reflected in the document.
   
2. The inclusion in the IEP helps to set the goals as a team wide approach and also helps with any change in staffing or at transition to a new classroom.

          Student Support File

           Education