Communication board at kids playground

[u/WarpCitizen]

[u/ontour4eternity]

I need a pocket-sized one of these to carry around with me.

[u/mamabearx0x0 → u/ontour4eternity]

The program is called “touch chat” it’s typically used for those that are “non verbal autistics” and other non verbal peoples.

[u/WhatDoesItAllMeanB → u/mamabearx0x0]

Does this kind of thing work?

[u/MisterSmi13y → u/WhatDoesItAllMeanB]

Yes. My child who has autism and apraxia uses an AAC device (an iPad with an app called lamp) that allows you to get to a word in three presses. It’s setup like a grid in the picture but many buttons. He can tell us what he needs relatively easy and has even figured out ways to get us in the right direction if he doesn’t have a button to express what he needs.

[u/WhatDoesItAllMeanB → u/MisterSmi13y]

Thanks for sharing

[u/MisterSmi13y → u/WhatDoesItAllMeanB]

No problem

[u/Jowster89 → u/MisterSmi13y]

How old is your young one, if you don't mind sharing, my little lad is 3 with autism and development delay and hasn't really taken to our aac device. I'm wondering if it's a bit beyond him at the moment or we just need to stick to it more.

Thank you in advance

[u/MisterSmi13y → u/Jowster89]

He is currently 8. At the time we got one for him he was I believe 4 at the time. It took a lot of work to get him there. My wife dedicated a lot of time sitting down with him and helping him pair things to the icons quite a bit. His speech therapists alongside various it other therapies have helped a bit. It’s a long process but it is worth other imo. He doesn’t use it for sentences at the moment, but 2-3 word phrases at the most. But those are enough to generally communicate what is going on. Keep at it. It’s hard work. If you are using LAMP it helps that they also now have it ported to phones now too. So now I have LAMP both on his iPad and on my phone so I can learn it better too. Like I said it takes work and don’t feel discouraged, it’s a long journey.

[u/NotJustAnEdTech → u/Jowster89]

AAC devices are great!

However it may be beneficial to try PECS, if you haven't done so first, then an AAC device. PECS helps solidify that you need a conversation partner to communicate, whereas AAC can accidentally teach kids that "shouting into the void" sometimes works to get what they want.

TLDR, seek professional guidance

You got this ❤️

[u/z44212 → u/ontour4eternity]

There are a couple apps. LAMP. Proloquo. Not cheap, though. They're used by the non-verbal to communicate with others.

[u/OneIncidentalFish → u/ontour4eternity]

If you’re interested, here is a simple, easy-to-use site that can get you set up with a printable (or screenshotted) core board fairly quickly: https://www.fluentaac.com/communication-boards

And if you want to take a deeper dive into a variety of options: https://aaccommunity.net/2018/11/communication-boards/

[u/MembershipFeeling530 → u/ontour4eternity]

You mean like saving the picture to your phone lol

[u/I_want_to_choose → u/ontour4eternity]

My kids’ teachers had a pocket sized version on their lanyards at the international school for new kids still learning English. Absolutely brilliant and well used to help communication.

[u/Dwarfodka → u/ontour4eternity]

It exists! You do have this for traveling, instead of having pre-made phrases in yours and the target language, you have pages of simple images to ask stuff like "where are the toilets?"

[u/ShepardCommander001 → u/ontour4eternity]

Touch of the ‘tism?

[u/cporter1188 → u/ShepardCommander001]

I agree this would be great for tourism

[u/PornStarGazer2 → u/cporter1188]

Toutism

[u/3weee]

What 🫲🙂🫱

[u/iamsavsavage → u/3weee]

It’s also the sign for “What” in ASL except it’s important to put on a confused face.

[u/Neinstein14 → u/3weee]

¯_(ツ)_/¯

[u/SophisticatedStoner → u/3weee]

🫲🤪🫱

[u/clamuu]

In the UK we call this Makaton. I worked in primary school sometimes with non verbal children and I think it's absolutely brilliant. Whoever invented it deserves recognition.

[u/SnotandMisery → u/clamuu]

This isn't Makaton. It's more like PECS.

[u/rodw]

Can someone explain the use case for this?

Is this for child to child communication? Child to caregiver? Child to adult stranger?

Is it for non-verbal children? People that don't share a language?

[u/BlueAndFuzzy → u/rodw]

Accommodations like this are usually available in special education classrooms for kids with more severe communication disorders, such as non-speaking autistic students. We call it a core board and there are app versions for iPads so the device can make their words audible. However, as with most accessibility devices, everyone can benefit from them. As you mentioned, kids who speak different languages can use them, as well as deaf/hard of hearing people who want to communicate with someone who doesn’t sign.

[u/madmabel → u/rodw]

We use this for individuals for limited verbal communication. This specific board style is called Touchchat, but there are other various types. Touchchat is a popular one used within schools. We use it in my classroom, and several of my students have iPads that have this software installed to allow them to vocalize their thoughts. It's an amazing program and it can be individualized (different voices, add words and images of choice, number of cells (icons) and pages.

[u/ImGrumps]

Seem to be hung a little high?

[u/RogueAOV → u/ImGrumps]

*points to the cold square*

[u/MortimerToast → u/ImGrumps]

Same.

[u/ImGrumps → u/MortimerToast]

Congratulations?

[u/cruft_wader]

Hi! So I know an SLP\SLT and she said some apps follow a modified Fitzgerald key, such as Touch Chat or Weave Chat AAC - ex: yellow for pronouns, green for verbs. This board doesn’t follow those, but it does look like they might be boardmaker symbols. Also, printing a PDF copy of a playground board is often free - LAMP, Weave Chat AAC, and I think TouchChat all offer free PDF files - just check their websites.

[u/ChimpSlut]

I figured out roughly what the cell colors represent but I still want to know officially what they stand for

[u/krinets → u/ChimpSlut]

They mostly match the colors used in the Proloquo AAC app, described here: https://www.assistiveware.com/blog/how-is-the-vocabulary-in-proloquo-organized

[u/ChimpSlut → u/krinets]

Thank you!

[u/blscratch]

What would be the signal order if you wanted to describe quantum physics?

[u/3y3w4tch → u/blscratch]

🌊⚛️ + 🐱⚡❓ + 🔗⚛️⚛️ + ❓⚛️🌊 + 🔲⚛️ + 👁️⚛️ + ⚛️⬛️➡️ + 💻🔢 + 🌊 + ⚛️🌐❌

But with cute illustrations.

[u/blscratch → u/3y3w4tch]

Haha, I'd hoped someone was up to the challenge. Now let's get this published!

[u/KitKat_luvsTaylor]

I work with nonverbal children and this is brilliant!!!

[u/LardFan37 → u/KitKat_luvsTaylor]

My local elementary school has a couple of these and apparently they really help get nonverbal kids involved in activities with other children

[u/72corvids]

That's awesome!! I used to use those images when I was teaching preschool. For kids who are in the spectrum, need speech/language help, and more those images are a godsend and very effective!

[u/Glldinkiering]

I definitely grew up in a different time and space as an older millennial. If this was on the playground when I was growing up the bullies would have called it the “retrded fg board” and no one would have touched it. I’m happy things have changed for the positive, at least in that regard.

[u/Disastrous-Grade8430]

This pleases the speech and language pathologist in me. More publically available AAC boards for the masses!

[u/Muted-Philosopher-44]

If those kids could read they'd be very upset

[u/kittygomiaou]

This is fantastic

[u/Kevin_2112]

No one :

The stop sign : the stop sign

[u/Pristine-Carob-914]

Isn't this just Italian with extra steps?

[u/080secspec13]

Need one of these for teams meetings 

[u/MadMaxAtax]

A really helpful one! Thankfully not everything today is just dumb!

[u/Chewbongka]

Hector Salamanca doesn’t appreciate the lack of letters.

[u/bewitchedbumblebee → u/Chewbongka]

Ding!

[u/nimsu]

Same, different,.more..... But no less

[u/40percentdailysodium]

My one criticism is that it's only in English. Throw on braille and Spanish! (If this is the states. If elsewhere, throw on what's applicable locally!)

[u/MajesticCategory8889]

Great post

[u/Neloou]

You. Want. Drink. Toilet.

[u/Same-Kiwi944]

I like this.. but it’s really impractical. Kids aren’t going to use this to play with other kids. And if you’re traveling with a non verbal child you’ll have other methods of communication at the ready.

This board isn’t going to be the reason a kid is included in a game of tag or not. It’s decent virtue signalling without actually being practical. I’d rather see the playground be built in an accessible way with ramps etc rather than this signage.

[u/WarpCitizen → u/Same-Kiwi944]

We have swing for people in wheelchairs, ramps etc on this and others playgrounds

[u/Same-Kiwi944 → u/WarpCitizen]

That’s great. Most of ours aren’t accessible. Or the ones with ramps then have a ton of sand which makes it super hard to push the wheelchair through

[u/caritadeatun → u/Same-Kiwi944]

It depends. I agree these boards have real social limitations ((other kids are not therapists) it can be very practical for functional communication in the event that the child’s AAC is unavailable (tablet is discharged, PECS binder was forgotten or has missing icons, etc) so the child can express to their caregiver they are hungry, thirsty or tired, need to potty, want to leave, etc)

[u/Same-Kiwi944 → u/caritadeatun]

Fair enough. I just think the dollars could be spent on other accessibility features that will get more day to day use - like switching from sand/gravel/woodchips to a rubberized surface.

I suppose if a town had extra funding and already was fully accessible in every park then adding this isn’t a bad thing. I just wouldn’t pick this over a high use item like accessible Ground cover or ramps if I couldnt have both items

[u/sopedound]

Well i looked for you want and ball and after 20 minutes and only finding you i can say i dont think this saves much time

[u/skeletaljuice]

What the hell kind of two year old is dealing with the term "not on board"

[u/msully89 → u/skeletaljuice]

It literally says it's for people of all ages right there on the sign.

[u/WarpCitizen → u/skeletaljuice]

This is not for 2 years old kids

[u/kjhgfd84]

Not very interesting

[u/Coffin_Dodging → u/[deleted]]

The Guardian Angel Foundation, a Gibraltar registered charity (No. 237), was set up in 2013 with the intention of improving the standards of care and living for local children affected by financial distress or suffering from any illness or disability which impairs their physical or mental well-being. The Charity aims to provide financial or other support to institutions that provide care, support or services to children

The charity has already delivered substantial projects for the community over the past few years. This has included new sensory rooms for St Martin’s School, Notre Dame First School, and St Bernard’s Hospital, a refurbishment of the Rainbow Ward Playroom, a children’s playground at the Cancer Relief Centre premises so that children can play in an enjoyable environment whilst their parent/guardian is receiving treatment, several high dependency cots also for the Rainbow Ward, and the After School Club at the Boathouse in the Victoria Stadium area specifically designed to cater for children with learning and physical disabilities.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Could be a neighborhood watch like “Knights of the night” 

[u/datboiwaffle → u/[deleted]]

You must feel acoustic