Playground Communication for All

Recipient: Fox Ridge Elementary 

Vicki Deku, Teacher, Sandy Green, Teacher

Michelle Woodring, Principal

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Project: Communication Board for Playground

Classroom/Setting: Students K-5, with communication disabilities are challenged to interact with their playmates, or verbalize their needs to a teacher on the playground.

Purpose

Students of Fox Ridge Elementary who are unable to communicate all of their needs through traditional speech, can access a method of communication on the school's playground utilizing a large board with pictures and symbols.. The board is permanently installed, and provides year over year assistance for students.

This project aids students who have difficulty expressing themselves through traditional speech. For them to be understood is to feel included, or at least not isolated.

Application for Students

A communication board is a powerful tool which empowers individuals to communicate using symbols, pictures, or words, facilitating interactions with teachers and other students, and the students sense of being is understood, thus, the feeling of belonging.

A communication board is a composition of images specifically selected to support communications by pointing or touching multiple images to make the question or statement understood.

Students with limited verbal communications, i.e., Autistic, Apraxia of Speech, physical or multiple disabilities, can communicate with their teachers, caregivers, or other children.

Additionally, verbal students who have difficulty expressing themselves for more complex thoughts and idea, are served through the Communication Board

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