All learners have the right to communicate.

Communication is a prerequisite for teaching and learning. Building Blocks to Autonomous Communication focuses on the what, why, and how of supporting learners with communication needs. The overarching goal is that individuals with CCN leave their educational programming as autonomous communicators - in other words, that they can say what they want to say, when they want to say it, how they want to say it, and with whom they wish to communicate.

No student is too anything to be able to read and write.

Autonomous communication requires literacy, and our goal must be to allow all learners to express what they want to communicate. Classroom and ancillary staff are taught how to structure daily literacy instruction for learners with significant disabilities and complex communication needs (CCN).

Promoting autonomous communication and genuine conversations.

Participants in this introductory training are taught to select, customize and use PODD books and aided language input to promote autonomous communication for learners with complex communication needs.

PODD is an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tool that arranges a robust vocabulary, typically as a low-tech book, to support language development for learners with complex communication needs. Language is organized in a practical layout that requires minimal page turns to communicate.