Last year, communication boards were installed on the playground at Pearl Sample Elementary School (PSES). The communication boards were designed to support students who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) or who benefit from multi-modal communication. The boards were immediately successful with Pearl Sample students prompting a plan to install them at all of our elementary schools.
Barbara Hastings SLP at PSES has been hard at work over the last two years leading efforts to make easily accessible Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) a reality for students on the remaining CCPS elementary school playgrounds. She designed the signs, worked with building administrators to select appropriate sign locations at each school, and coordinated with the maintenance department to build and install the signs.
Jamie Hoover, Culpeper County Public Schools (CCPS) related services designee said, “Barbara has helped CCPS grow immeasurably regarding the implementation of AAC over the last several years. The results have been spectacular for our students’ growth.”
The communication boards are filled with core words. Core words are a set of simple words that make up the majority of words used in everyday communication. They are used across all contexts, all age levels, and in all parts of speech. These words are used across multiple settings and environments and for a variety of purposes. In reading, many of these words make up sight words. Use of communication boards increases student exposure to these words in purposeful communication opportunities.
In addition to being a benefit to students with disabilities, the boards also benefit other elementary school students. Sycamore Park Elementary School ESL teacher Laura Carter shared an example. “I was just out at the playground the other day after the SGA test with my group of seven 5th grade newcomers. I noticed two of my students pointing at the board and I went over to check it out. I loved it and so did they.” She continued, “We practiced reading and saying all of the verbs that were new to them. They also liked to point out the words that they already knew.“ Carter concluded, “Such a great addition to the playground. What an awesome communication tool that is so helpful to our EL population.”
Many thanks to the Special Education and the Maintenance departments who worked together to make this project a reality for all of the elementary aged children in CCPS. The benefits of our new playground communication boards are numerous and we are grateful for the collaboration between multiple CCPS departments on this project.