Southdown Joins in Celebrating Communication Alternatives

Southdown Primary School joined its sister school in Huntington UFSD in celebrating Augmentative and Alternative Communication Awareness Month. Speech language pathologists Sarah Macaluso, Kaitlyn Moran and Marisa Amato facilitated a series of activities designed to increase awareness, promote understanding and recognize the many ways students communicate.

Throughout the month, staff and students had opportunities to learn more about AAC and the important role it plays in supporting communication and self-expression. Activities began with a faculty meeting presentation focused on AAC, which included an interactive “Guess the Symbol” activity that encouraged staff members to experience communication from a different perspective. Staff also received informational resources and a fun, interactive “Test Your Knowledge” quiz to build their understanding of AAC and how to support individuals who use it.

To further awareness throughout the entire school community, students who use communication devices were featured on the school announcements, helping to highlight AAC users and educate students about the different ways people communicate.

Speech language pathologists also visited a classroom to share the book “My Brother Otto and the Birthday Party,” introducing students to a character who uses a communication device and helping them learn about AAC in a meaningful and relatable way.

Following the read-aloud, students had the opportunity to explore communication devices and programs, including Proloquo2Go and TouchChat. They received a blank outline of a core communication board, similar to the layout used in TouchChat, and were invited to personalize it by selecting pictures and symbols representing their own interests, favorite things, and messages they would want to communicate.

This hands-on activity helped students recognize that AAC is highly personal, can be customized to reflect each individual's personality and interests and provides opportunities to express so much more than just basic needs and wants.

“The response to this month-long initiative was overwhelmingly positive,” Principal Jill Amott-Erwig said. “Southdown staff demonstrated enthusiasm, curiosity and a genuine interest in learning more about AAC and how to better support students who use communication systems.”