Establishing and Nurturing an AAC Network across Scotland: Legacy from the Right to Speak Project

Session

7.07

Practice Report

• • Deborah Jans (Augmentative Communication in Practice: Scotland)
  • Janet Scott (Augmentative Communication in Practice: Scotland)
  • Linda Page (Augmentative Communication in Practice: Scotland)
  • Sandra Millar (Augmentative Communication in Practice: Scotland)

Summary

This paper will describe the expansion of an AAC network across a large area (Scotland) and discuss how this has enhanced services for people who use AAC. We also will aim to inform the participants about how we use this forum to build capacity and knowledge across multiple agencies and disciplines. Partnership building across agencies will also be discussed with specific examples of practice across Scotland. This session will also aim to discuss how the development of an AAC network will contribute to the sustainibility of services and resource over time as well as provide a forum for AAC Users to improve participation and involvement in planning services.

Method/Activities/Techniques

Development of an AAC Leads Network as a result of the Right to Speak Project to provide support and build capacity across Scotland.

Results/Findings

The AAC Leads network led to a forum for sharing intervention and experiences and building capacity within the Health Boards as well as with partnership agencies. We are now able to carry this on as a legacy to the Right to Speak project.

Conclusions

We have now been able to re-evaluate how Augmentative Communication in Practice: Scotland works and how, as a group we can support the ongoing AAC Leads Network. We are looking into attaining a more formal status as well as how we can involve AAC Users within the network.

Level of Session

Introductory

Age Group

All Ages

Interest

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