1. Introducing Eyetuitive Essentials by Smartbox
2. AssistiveWare Autism Acceptance Month Campaign
3. One Week to Go – Presentation Call for TechAbility26
4. Dr Sam Brydon Coaching for AAC Workshop
5. Great Ormond Street Hospital AAC Course
6. Makaton x Electric Umbrella Community Songwriting Workshop
7. Support Judy King in Running the London Marathon
8. JOSY – Free and Accessible Storybook App for iPad
News from Communication Matters
9. Glasgow AAC Information Day – Register Now!
10. CM Conference 2026 – Early Bird Registration Open Now!
11. About Friday Announcements
1. Introducing Eyetuitive Essentials by Smartbox
From Olivia Withington, Smartbox:
Introducing a simple and affordable communication aid that brings together the intelligent eyetuitive eye tracker, high quality mounting bracket, and Grid software on a Surface Pro tablet.
The result is a complete AAC solution that offers reliable eye tracking and a portable, lightweight design at just 1.5kg. What’s more, eyetuitive essentials is a class 1 medical device, making it ideal for clinical assessments, as well as use across home and school environments.
Visit our website to discover this budget-friendly eye gaze solution: www.thinksmartbox.com/eyetuitive-essentials/
2. AssistiveWare Autism Acceptance Month Campaign
From Chetna Palaniappan, AssistiveWare:
This year, we revisited the Land of Autistic Communication from our 2024 Autism Acceptance Month campaign by animating the Mountains of Echolalia on the map. Autistic communication is different for each person.
This video aims to validate echolalia as meaningful communication and to reinforce that AAC is part of autistic communication, not separate from it. The Land of Autistic Communication invites you to explore different forms of expression and support a world where every voice is understood.
You can watch the animation and view the full map here: www.assistiveware.com/autism-acceptance-communication
In addition, many of our AAC apps will be 50% off from 20-27 April, 2026. For a full list of the apps included and details about the discount, visit our website.
3. One Week to Go – Presentation Call for TechAbility26
From Fil McIntyre, Natspec TechAbility:
Would you like to showcase your interesting and exciting Assistive Technology practice? Or have you undertaken impactful research to share with other AT professionals?
Take the opportunity to present your practice or research at TechAbility26, a leading UK Assistive Technology conference.
To have your presentation considered, please complete the expression of interest to present form. Deadline for submission is 24 April.
If you’d like to discuss suitability before submitting, get in touch with [email protected]
TechAbility26 takes place on Thursday 19 November at Coventry Building Society Arena.
4. Dr Sam Brydon Coaching for AAC Workshop
From Helen Murphy, CASEE:
Date: Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 June 2026
Location: Cambridge University Hospitals Campus
Cost: £130 for both days
CASEE is delighted to present this unique opportunity to attend a workshop delivered by internationally renowned presenter, researcher and Speech and Language Therapist Dr Sam Brydon on Coaching for AAC using the Empowering Parents for AAC Approach. Dr Brydon is visiting all the way from New Zealand, so this presents a rare opportunity to attend great value, face to face training on coaching for AAC. The workshop will be hosted at the Cambridge University Hospitals campus.
Please click here for more information.
This is a highly practical, 2-day workshop developed from Dr Brydon’s doctoral research, suitable for any professional working with children and families who use AAC. Learn about the essential strategies needed to support children who are learning to use AAC, practice how to explain and demonstrate these strategies to the child’s family and education team, and learn about a collaborative coaching model you can use to support successful implementation of AAC.
To register your interest in attending, or to find out more, please email us at [email protected] before 30 April 2026 with the subject line ‘Dr Sam Brydon Coaching for AAC’
5. Great Ormond Street Hospital AAC Course
From Kate Macleod, GOSH:
The Developmental Communication Service at Great Ormond Steet Hospital are excited to offer two paired webinars on the theme:
“Developing Communication for CYP when Speaking, Understanding, Seeing and Moving is Tricky”
Date: Tuesday 9 June and Tuesday 16 June (attend both)
Time: 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
We will explore vision in context of communication development for children and young people with limited movements, speech and developmental differences. We aim to:
- Equip participants with knowledge on functional vision and impact on decision making
- Learn about practical approaches to support communication and leisure including partner assisted auditory scanning.
Presenters:
Dr Jenefer Sargent (Consultant Paediatrician); Alison Futerman (SLT -The Eden Academy Trust); Kate Macleod (SLT GOSH); Abby Bolland & Kate Ali (OT’s GOSH)
For queries please contact: [email protected]
To book your place on these webinars, click here.
6. Makaton x Electric Umbrella Community Songwriting Workshop
From Natalie Applewhaite-Morgan, Makaton Aware:
Join us as we collaborate with the award-winning charity Electric Umbrella for our first of two fun online workshops where we will start creating a brand new song about Makaton for Makaton International Awareness Day 2026.
This workshop is for Makaton users. Your ideas will help create the song.
Date: Wednesday 22 April 2026
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: Virtual, Zoom
During the session we will:
- Listen to music
- Use Makaton signs
- Share ideas and themes
- Talk about what the song could be about
You can share your ideas using the chat on Zoom.
Families, carers and supporters are welcome to join and support, but Makaton users will lead the creative ideas. After the workshop, Electric Umbrella will use the ideas from the group to begin writing the song.
There will also be a second session where people can help sing and sign in the final recording and video.
Come along, share your ideas, and help create a song celebrating Makaton. Sign up here.
7. Support Judy King in Running the London Marathon
From Judy King, 1Voice:
Judy King, an Independent AAC Consultant Speech and Language Therapist, is running the London Marathon for 1Voice, and needs your support!
1Voice is a charity that aims to reduce the social isolation that being unable to speak can bring, by building a strong community of AAC users, and helping older members stand as role models for new families just starting out in the world of AAC.
The funds raised will be used to help 1Voice put on their many social events, including the national residential weekend, support their role models and volunteers, and continue to expand their branch network to help AAC users and their families.
To donate to this great cause and cheer Judy on, click here.
8. JOSY – Free and Accessible Storybook App for iPad
From Alex Manzer, JOSY:
JOSY is a free storybook app for iPad and iPhone, designed specifically for children and people with cognitive or physical disabilities. The app includes illustrated books at three difficulty levels: single words with pictures and sounds, simple sentences, and full stories. All books include read-aloud narration and are available in 6 languages (EN, DE, ES, FR, IT, PT).
Accessibility has been our top priority from the start. JOSY supports VoiceOver, extra-large touch targets (88pt), Dynamic Type, and Reduce Motion. The app can be extensively customized in Settings to meet individual needs, such as input delay, navigation mode, and page transitions. JOSY also supports external hardware switches (via Bluetooth or USB connection) and allows book content to be mirrored to a large screen or TV via AirPlay for group use. The app works entirely offline, contains no advertising, and is free, because every child deserves beautiful stories.
If you try JOSY, we would greatly appreciate your feedback and suggestions for improvements. We want to keep developing the app and are grateful for every insight from real-world use.
Learn more and download the app here.
9. Glasgow AAC Information Day – Register Now!
We’re delighted to be heading to Glasgow once more for the CM AAC Information Day 2026. This AAC Information Day is a product demonstration day supported and presented by our Commercial Members from the UK’s leading suppliers of communication aids, equipment, software and symbol systems.
The day consists of five sessions which provide information and offer up-to-date knowledge on the range of AAC products available in the UK. There will also be an exhibition period where you can try out products.
Date: Wednesday 6 May 2026.
Venue: Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel, Beardmore Street, Clydebank, Glasgow, G81 4SA.
Cost: FREE to attend! Lunch & refreshments are provided.
The suppliers attending the information day include Tobii Dynavox, Liberator, Smartbox, Acapela Group, Abilia, and Jabbla.
BOOKINGS CLOSE TODAY (17 April), so book now to secure your attendance!
For those who have already booked, you do not need to confirm your attendance. However, if you will not be attending, please let us know. If you have any questions, please contact the CM office at [email protected]
10. CM Conference 2026 – Early Bird Registration Open Now!
Join us in Leeds on 13-15 September 2026 for an exciting event packed full of informative presentations, inspiring stories and insight into the advancing world of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
Our conference offers a diverse programme of events that brings AAC users, their families and carers together with researchers, professionals and suppliers to learn, network, socialise and celebrate.
Early bird conference delegate registrations are now open, with the discounted ticket rate available until 29 June 2026.
Book your place now to not miss out on this great deal!
11. About Friday Announcements
These ‘Friday Announcements’ comprise weekly product updates, upcoming courses, and supplier news. Please email [email protected] with the item you want to be included by Thursday at 5pm – no more than 200 words (one entry per organisation per week) – and include contact email and/or link so readers can find out further information (no file attachments please).
