Friday Announcements – 27 June 2025
1. Share Your Vocabulary Set with Predictable Users Worldwide!
2. How to Add the New AI-powered Fix Tool into an Existing Grid Set
3. AAC Scotland Network Family Fun Day
4. B6 Occupational Therapist Vacancy, Birmingham
5. Communication Assessment Tools and Practices – Survey
6. AAC Users in Higher Education – Online Networking Event
7. Accessible Festival 2025 – Tickets On Sale Now
News from Communication Matters
8. CM2025 Great Book Draw
9. Call for Nominations for Trustees
10. CM2025 International AAC Conference – Register Now – 2 Weeks To Early Bird Deadline
11. We Need Your Help to Win a Donation in the My Favourite Voucher Codes Poll!
12. About Friday Announcements
1. Share Your Vocabulary Set with Predictable Users Worldwide!
From Annie Galvin, Therapy Box Ltd:
Have you created a vocabulary set designed to support communication?
We’d love to include it in Predictable, our award-winning AAC app that helps individuals with speech and language challenges express themselves confidently. We’re now expanding our in-app vocabulary library and are looking for educators, therapists, and AAC authors to collaborate with us.
If you’ve developed a vocabulary set that could benefit others, we’d love to hear from you.
Please email us at [email protected] to express your interest or ask questions.
2. How to Add the New AI-powered Fix Tool into an Existing Grid Set
From Hannah Craven, Smartbox Assistive Technology Ltd:
The new AI-powered Fix tool is now a standard feature in Text Talker and Fast Talker, however you can add it to any grid set.
Follow our guidance on how it can be added into your existing and personalised grid sets: https://hub.thinksmartbox.com/knowledgebase/how-do-i-add-the-fix-tool-to-my-own-grid-sets/.
3. AAC Scotland Network Family Fun Day
From Claire Harrison, CALL Scotland:
Funded by the AAC Scotland network, the Family Fun Day returns on Saturday 4th October at the Craighalbert Centre in Cumbernauld. It will be run by staff from CALL Scotland, FAACT, AAC Lothian, SCTCI and others.
The event is for children and young people aged 3-16 and their families to try out and learn about communication supports and assistive technology through fun activities.
This free event runs from 11am – 4pm and includes lunch and refreshments.
Find out more and book a space: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/aac-scotland-network-family-fun-day-tickets-1389028574859?aff=oddtdtcreator
4. B6 Occupational Therapist Vacancy, Birmingham
From Lisa Price, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust:
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Occupational Therapist to join our OT team within the Access to Communication and Technology (ACT) Service.
The post-holder will work within three clinical caseloads relating to Electronic Assistive Technology (EAT): people with severe physical disabilities who may need Environmental Control (EC) or computer access and people with communication and language difficulties who may need Alternative & Augmentative Communication (AAC).
The post is a permanent, full time position and the closing date for applications is 8th July.
For more details, please click here.
5. Communication Assessment Tools and Practices – Survey
From Stephanie Weir, University of Melbourne:
Are you a speech pathologist/therapist, teacher, OT or other professional who provides communication assessment for children or adults who use or could benefit from AAC? If so, we would like to invite you to participate in a research project about assessment tools and practices, conducted by researchers from the University of Melbourne and Massey University.
What is the project about?
The researchers want to understand why particular tools, frameworks and approaches to communication assessment for people who use or could benefit from AAC may be used in different settings and contexts. We would also like to know about what makes it easier or harder for you to implement comprehensive and individualised assessment in your work, and what could be improved.
You do not need to be an AAC ‘specialist’ or work exclusively with people who have disabilities in order to complete the survey. We are interested in understanding what all professionals who work with people with disabilities and/or who are non-speaking do in their communication assessment.
For more information, follow this link, which will take you to a plain language statement, a consent form and the survey: Take the Survey. If you have any questions about the project, you can contact Jenna O’Brien on [email protected] or Stephanie Weir (responsible researcher) on [email protected].
6. AAC Users in Higher Education – Online Networking Event
From Jing Hu, Monash University, Australia:
We are an AAC research team from Monash University and our lead researcher is an AAC user with cerebral palsy. We would love to connect with AAC users in colleges and universities. Through these connections we hope to help create more possibilities to move towards and beyond disability accommodation and drive real change in the education sector.
We will be holding two online networking events on Zoom. One takes place on Saturday 5 July, 6-9pm (AEST), 9am-12pm (BST). The other will be live on Saturday 12 July 8-11am (AEST), Friday 11 July 5-8pm (CST/CDT). The two events will be the same.
We will do a couple of fun games in an accessible way, including an AAC trivia game. The participants will have a chance to win three $20 gift vouchers (or UK equivalent).
If you would like to join us in a different way, let us know in the registration form.
Register here.
7. Accessible Festival 2025 – Tickets On Sale Now
Join us on Sunday 20th July at Bury Athletics Club for #AccessFest25, the UK’s first fully accessible festival back for another year!
Get ready for a day filled with music, art, food, and fun activities. Join us for a celebration of inclusivity and accessibility for all. Whether you’re into live music, tasty treats, or just want to hang out with friends, this family-friendly event has something for everyone. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to come together and enjoy a day of entertainment and community. See you there!
Get your tickets now: https://tinyurl.com/nhcj3ak4
8. CM2025 Great Book Draw
Wanted: Recently Published Books
Are you the author of a recently published (or about to be published) book that addresses any aspect of AAC, either fiction or non-fiction? Would you like to have an image and description of your book included in the CM2025 Conference Programme?
Why not donate a copy to the CM2025 Great Book Draw? Approximately 450 delegates will have the opportunity to sign up for the Great Book Draw which will be held during the International AAC Conference at the University of Leeds on 8-9 September.
We are open to all books about AAC but this year we would particularly welcome books regarding neurodiversity, adults using AAC, and/or empowerment.
If you are interested, please email [email protected] by 1st July.
9. Call for Nominations for Trustees
The time has come again to request nominations for Trustees for the next term in the life of Communication Matters. This is a role which demands stamina, commitment and skill mixing but which can be very stimulating and enlightening!
This year there are five vacant places to be filled and the opportunity of appointing a further three Co-opted Trustees as appropriate. The announcement of Trustees will take place at the virtual Annual Meeting of Associate Members on Sunday 7 September 2025 ahead of the Communication Matters International AAC Conference.
For more information and to download a nomination form, please go to: communicationmatters.org.uk/news/call-for-trustees-2025
Completed nomination forms must reach us by Friday 18th July.
10. CM2025 International AAC Conference – Register Now – 2 Weeks To Early Bird Deadline
Registration is now open, but we wanted to highlight some exciting changes and additions taking place this year.
One notable change is the conference being shortened to two days. We will open the main conference on Monday 8th September at 9AM and close at 4PM Tuesday the 9th. While this means a slightly shorter conference than previous years, we have worked hard to consolidate the programme to offer better value with events on either side. These include:
- Pre-Conference Relaxed Exhibition: on the afternoon of 7th September, we will be providing a time for conference delegates and the community who need a quieter and less busy space to meet with suppliers. This is a free optional event for those who wish to add it to their delegate package. Tickets will also be available to people not attending conference.
- AAC Awards: on the evening of 8th September, we will be hosting our biennial event celebrating all forms of communication, the people who use AAC, the professionals, families and suppliers that support them. Being held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, we are certain the awards, dinner and dancing will prove to be a fun and exciting night for all! This event is included in the full delegate registration price. It can be added to one-day and exhibition-only delegates at an additional price. Tickets will also be available to people not attending conference.
- Post-Conference Research Study Day: this additional day on 10th September is open to conference delegates and others who are interested in research focused strands delivered by an international cohort of researchers and academics. This event can be added to all delegate packages at an additional price. Tickets will also be available to people not attending conference.
Changes to accommodation
In another effort to offer choice and value, there are now options available for conference delegates to choose accommodation. When going through the registration process you can add on-campus accommodation at Storm Jameson, which will be added to the full conference delegate rate. You can also choose to opt-out and stay elsewhere. We have teamed up with Conference Leeds to offer delegates preferential rates at hotels within Leeds for your convenience.
Registration is now open!
Book early to take advantage of the Early Bird discount which expires on 11th July.
See prices and book online here.
11. We Need Your Help to Win a Donation in the My Favourite Voucher Codes Poll!
This June, you can help Communication Matters to receive a donation without spending a penny – all you need to do is cast your free vote in the My Favourite Voucher Codes charity poll!
Every month, My Favourite Voucher Codes donate 20% of their profits to charity. They run a monthly poll where 4 charities are in with the chance of winning the donation.
This month, Communication Matters have been chosen as a nominated charity, and we need your help to win!
It is free to vote in, everyone gets 1 vote (per IP address) and you do not need to enter any details at all to vote.
The poll will remain open until midnight on 30th June.
How Do I Vote?
Voting is super simple; all you need to do is:
- Visit the My Favourite Voucher Codes website.
- Scroll down until you see the poll on the right-hand side of the page (or at the bottom of the page on mobile).
- Vote for Communication Matters!
Thank you to all our amazing supporters and everyone who is able to vote for Communication Matters this June. If we win this donation, we can continue supporting those who have verbal communication difficulties and give everyone a voice.
12. 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).
