3. Case Study Trudy Bore and Caroline Weighton Sept 2012

4. Introduction Treloar College is a National Specialist FE College for young people between 16 and 25 with physical disabilities. 30% of our students use AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication). Outreach Services

5. Aims of session Overview of a young person’s journey from no AAC to acceptance of low and high tech communication methods. How consistency and similarity between low and high tech AAC facilitated use of both systems. The benefit of the above in facilitating acceptance and increased use of AAC.

6. Case Study Ceris came to Treloar College in 2009, having been a student at Treloar School previously. She has CP and is non-verbal. Studying at Entry Level 2/3: When she arrived, she had no wordbook and had no high tech AAC device. Family had reinforced to her that she could be understood non- verbally. She came into college with an established group of friends who reinforced that she could communicate her thoughts and wishes non-verbally and they could interpret for her. Friends were all verbal communicators. She had used a Pathfinder, learning LLL at school, but was lacking in motivation to continue with this and she was struggling. Access to alternative communication methods was complex and de- motivating.

7. Therapy plan To introduce an AAC method To review access methods through multidisciplinary working To find something that would motivate her to communicate

8. What is the Treloar Vocabulary? Identified a need for an adult vocabulary The need for focus on social interaction identified by students Created vocabulary that merged student priorities with other good aspects of existing programmes

9. Therapy process Initial sessions – unfamiliar people, talking about things out of context using only non-verbal methods. Introduction of Treloar Vocabulary wordbook – with extensive personalisation. Encouragement to use! Simultaneous review of access methods – to inform overall assessment process for AAC. Ceris also compliant and willing to look at this.

10. Treloar Vocabulary - purpose Symbol based program for students with limited or emerging literacy Students with recognised learning difficulties Students with recognised language difficulties Need for functional communication Focus on social interaction Vocabulary content beyond school into the adult world Corresponding low and high tech formats

11. Combination of individual words, sentence starter phrases and pre-stored sentences. PCS symbol based. Organised by categories accessed from a contents page. Clear layout using simple colour coding. Consistent placement of function symbols on each page (ie page links) Vocabulary including nouns, verbs, adjectives plus words used to express individual thoughts and opinions. Based around how language is used more than what it contains or how it is constructed. Quick links to other relevant pages from each page. Treloar Vocabulary Wordbook

12. Specific chat phrases and questions pages – quick access for fast chat situations. Vocabulary to construct individual questions as well. Teenage/adult vocab for insults, chat up and compliments. Pages for specific situations: Doctors appointments, hairdressers, shopping, café, cinema, booking a taxi and pub. Specific pages and vocab for expressing opinions and thoughts. Designed to be a starting point and then individualised with vocabulary depending on person’s needs. Treloar Vocabulary Wordbook

13. Wordbook

17. Access methods trialled 1.Joystick 2.Head pointing 3.Eye Gaze 4.Switch

18. I want to talk! Discussing personal topics – growing realisation by Ceris that she wanted to take more control of this. Ceris’s established group of friends and boyfriend left college – who could interpret now? 1 st day back in 3 rd Year – “I want a talker!”

19. High Tech AAC Introduced Treloar Vocabulary on assessment Tellus Switch access Proposed staged introduction – limited time each day Reality - Ceris wouldn’t leave SLT without it! “I want it!” Supported by AAC technician every afternoon in class Time spent personalising the high tech vocabulary to mirror Ceris’s wordbook – on going simultaneous updates

23. Progress Rapid functional use of high tech AAC Still used in combination with the wordbook – Ceris decides when and where Use of high tech AAC in the community – developing independence More independent communication within class and with familiar people Increased motivation to communicate in different situations – phone calls. Increased involvement in planning, decision making and controlling her environment.

24. Outcomes Ceris leaving college with her own communication system – low and high tech AAC. Similar findings with other students Growth in ability to communicate independently Updating both high tech and low tech vocabularies is key for continuity, full use and continued motivation Treloar Vocabulary (low and high tech) continues to evolve from student use Implications for funding

25. Ceris – what I think about it all.

26. Questions

27. Contact Details Trudy Bore Speech & Language Therapist Treloar College Holybourne Hampshire GU34 4EN email:trudy.bore@treloar.org.uktrudy.bore@treloar.org.uk Tel:01420 547400 Ext: 6452

28. Treloar Trust, Upper Froyle, Alton, Hampshire GU34 4JX Tel 01420 526526 Fax 01420 23957 Email info@treloar.org.uk www.treloar.org.uk