Communication

Professional Learning

Communication

All learners have the right to communicate, and communication is a prerequisite for teaching and learning. 
Autonomous communication or the ability to say what you want, when you want, how you want to whoever you want, wherever you want requires literacy.   
Our goal must be to allow all learners to express what they want to communicate.

Courses

Course

Building Blocks to Autonomous Communication

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.

 

Course

Comprehensive Literacy for Autonomous Communication

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).

Course

Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display (PODD)

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. 

Online Modules

Online Module

Building Blocks to Autonomous Communication (BBtAC)

Communication is a prerequisite for teaching and learning.  Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) is a tool or support that assists a learner with communicating a message.  Building Blocks to Autonomous Communication focuses on the what, why, and how of supporting learners with Complex Communication Needs (CCN).

Quick Wins

Quick Win

AAC Fundamentals

Learners who have difficulty using speech to express their wants, needs, and ideas benefit from access to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

Quick Win

Alternative Access for Paper-based Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

In this quick win, learn about four alternative access methods of AAC. Alternative access enables individuals with complex communication needs and complex bodies with ways to express themselves.

Quick Win

Core Vocabulary

Core vocabulary offers a way for educators to support individual and classroom-wide communication.

Quick Win

Shared Reading

Shared reading is an evidence-based strategy that can improve a learner’s concept of print, language, communication, and interaction skills while encouraging engagement.

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