Course: Information pages

Synbol Creator Introduction File

choosing a cell

Open Board Builder with Symbol Creator in another window and download the instructions

Board Builder is a simple grid making AAC chart builder that offers a multilingual set of symbol sets and the possibility to add personal images as well as create new symbols with Symbol Creator. Once signed into the Global Symbols site, boards are saved in a Global Symbols account and can be shared as sample featured boards or charts. All board sets can be printed or downloaded as pdfs or for uploading to other apps that accept the open board format (.obf and .obz format) such as CoughDrop and Cboard

AAC Symbol Design Guidelines for graphic designers

Feature boards on Global Symbols that are updated on a regular basis.

Sample Board Builder Communication Boards
	This nurse/patient communication board is available on Board Builder (it will open in a new window). The two boards can be printed as a PDF back to back on an A4 sheet (double sided) and put into a plastic pocket or laminated. Or any chosen size that makes them usable The board sets can also be downloaded as an .obz file or indivdual boards as .obf. (See above for further insructions.)
	This COVID-19 feelings and questions board has 18 symbols on two boards.
	How do you feel for a male, with 24 symbols on two boards
	How do you feel for a female, with 24 symbols on two boards
	Adult Core words with 19 boards. The boards have been made as individual 4 by 4 charts for printing, but can have cells adapted as links to other boards to make a communication book on an electronic device.
	A colour coded single board originally designed for Valentine's Day about giving love with symbols from ARASAAC
	An information sheet with symbols and text from the UK government advice about the COVID-19 easy-read web page about the vaccine

Walt Disney - Three Little Pigs (1939) URL

Case Studies of AAC Users

Fiona 2 years old File
Fiona is a young girl with global developmental delay. She has significant learning and physical difficulties, but is usually happy and alert to her surroundings.
Yola 6 years old File
Yola has cerebral palsy which affects her arms and legs. It also affects the clarity of her voice. Her speech can be understood by those who know her very well, including her teacher and close family.
Milo 3 years old File
Milo is a young boy who has just been diagnosed with high-functioning autism. Milo has developed very little functional speech and instead communicates through behaviours including screaming, running and hiding. He had tried a few communication aids prior to his diagnosis and did not get on with devices that used vocabularies sorted in categories.
Petra 6 years old File
Petra has Autism Spectrum Condition and attends a language unit within a mainstream school. She has support 15 hours of 1:1 teaching assistant support throughout his school week. The local Speech and Language Therapist reviews Petra’s communication and behaviour supports as required following requests from the teaching staff.
Frederick 4 years old File
Frederick is a young boy with Down’s Syndrome. He is in a reception class in a small country school for children of all abilities. Frederick has his own class assistant who helps him keep on track with his tasks and supports him with his learning. Frederick has great non-verbal communication skills, such as gaining attention, using gestures and taking conversational turns. However, his difficulties planning his speech and using correct grammar. He also has some difficulty pronouncing words sounds

Extra Presentations about AAC

These are presentations that have been used in face to face training with activities.

Sample AAC Boards in Arabic

Fill in the gaps – Choose the right symbols to complete these sentences. Arabic version
Fire drill today – An evaluation completed together with the student on their behaviour during a fire drill. Arabic version
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Symbol book which tells the story of Mohammed from his birth to death using Tawasol Symbols and ARASAAC symbols. Arabic version.
The Prophet Muhammad Symbol Book Worksheets – Symbol worksheets corresponding to our symbol book – “The Life of The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)”. Arabic version
Visual Schedule for a school day – A visual schedule template and symbols for things that happen in a typical school day. Cut out the symbols and stick them on to the template to help structure the day. Arabic version
Weekend even ts – A worksheet to help students recount the things they did over the weekend and expand on the details. Arabic version
Basic Requirements board – 20 symbols representing some common needs with Yes/No, feelings and requests. Arabic version
Memory Game with Qatari Food Symbols – 2 x 8 symbols that can be matched or shuffled to play memory games. Arabic version
Bathroom routine – Help teach the Bathroom and washing hands routine with these symbol sequences. The Tawasol version has an extra step that may not appear in Western bathroom routines. Arabic version
Keychain – Cut and insert a keychain into these symbols for use in the playground, on weekends or by other staff at school. For quick and simple communication occasions, this is a great alternative to carrying around a bulky communication book. Arabic version
Prayer Times Arabic and English – Teaching prayer times? Here’s a sequenced prayer time board to help students conceptualise the different prayers and their timing in the day. Arabic version
Core word chart male version and female version. Arabic version for males and females.

Tawasol symbol cards Samples for memory games, word walls, individual cards for printing

Links to external AAC Resources

Pictoselector is a free Windows or Mac (Intel processor) program that can be downloaded to make symbol charts and other AAC support materials. It provides endless options for different settings with over "28,000 pictos (images) translated to English, Dutch, German, French, Danish, Spanish, Brazilian and Italian. (Some pictos are also translated to Arabic, Swedish, Portuguese and Indonesian)".

Ace Centre UK experts in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT), with core specialist services that include: Assessments, Training and many more useful Resources

CALL Scotland was commissioned by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) through the A Right to Speak initiative, to develop materials to help raise awareness of AAC and ways of providing communication support, aimed primarily at people who have little or no previous experience of communication disability. There are useful online learning modules, videos and web links, posters and guides.
The International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) works to improve the lives of children and adults who use AAC.

Communication Matters is a UK charity that support those with speech and language difficulties including those using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices and symbol users.

CALL Scotland Symbols for All "provides teaching resources in an accessible format for learners with additional support needs. The resources are designed to support the introduction of picture symbols and their use in everyday school activities by providing a core 'starter' set."