Core Classroom Communication Kit

The contents in this kit are samples intended to help identify what communication systems are needed to help you improve the effectiveness of modeling AAC (aka, providing aided language input) in your classroom AND school throughout student academic and daily routines. Many of these materials come from Project-core.com. This is a public domain website with EXCELLENT professional modules to break down implementing AAC in the classroom (w/ evidence based research strategies) AND includes links to many FREE reproducible resources. Hooray!

Link arms with your school's speech-language pathologist to discuss the best light tech options for each of your students as well as which visual systems may be best for all of you in the classroom and where they would be best accessible in all of the daily activities and routines of the school day.

Communication should be fun, so have fun as you scroll through the resources here and/or check out our AAC/AT Classroom Communication Kit! Price estimates should be listed at the end of each product description.

Oh! Speaking of fun, there’s not a thing in this kit that requires a single battery!

The AAC/AT Classroom Communication Kit includes several items w/in each of the following categories:

• Classroom Communication Posters
• Individual Communication Boards & Books
• Indoor / Outdoor Core Communication Systems
• Alternate Pencil
• Additional AAC Supports

IF you are interested in checking out the AAC/AT Classroom Communication Kit, please email your friendly GPAEA AT Specialist!

Use The Universal Core Poster

• Download this and other posters to support implementation here: http://www.project-core.com/posters/

GP AEA Creative Services Info & Estimate:

Item #1 "Use The Universal Core Poster": 24”x 36” heavyweight poster paper, color ink one side: $7.79

Items #2a AND #2b Universal Core Classroom Poster $67.71:

• Printed as 42" x 49", vinyl banner material w/ grommets in each corner.
• Included w/ Poster are 36 same size vocabulary picture symbols laminated for you to cut out and velcro to the poster.
• TWO poster examples included in kit (both using BoardMaker (PCS) symbols.

#2a: Boardmaker PCS Symbols - IMPORTANT! Please specify HIGH CONTRAST or

STANDARD symbols

#2b: Symbol Stix (SS) symbols

• Poster PDFs can be obtained at project-core.com. For HIGH CONTRAST poster, use the core board titled, "36 Location High Contrast (PDF, 1page, 239KB)" from the Project-Core site.

GP AEA Creative Services Info & Estimate:$67.71

BUILD YOUR OWN 84 Core Word Communication Board WITH additional fringe vocabulary (if desired). Pictured here is a 7 row x 12 column display. This Communication board is created w/ individual 4.5”x4.5” picture symbol core word vocabulary cards that are then organized on a bulletin or white board.

GP AEA Creative Services Info & Estimate:

• CORE ~4.5" x 4.5" 100# gloss cover white, color ink one side, laminated, 84qty: $24.56.
• FRINGE ~4.5" x 4.5" 100# gloss cover white, color ink one side, laminated, 150qty: $41.90.

NOTE: These picture symbols come from p.6 & 7 of the DIY Communication Folder PDF.

Consider MULTIPLE copies for students AND for paras. EVERYONE needs an aided means of communication! Available in BoardMaker OR Symbol Stix (SS) symbols. Keep in mind that these core boards are GREAT for those students w/ pre-intentional/pre-symbolic communication skills.

GP AEA Creative Services Info & Estimate:

Boards printed on 65# paper 8.5” x 11” white, color ink one side, laminated: $0.33

Looking for robust language supports in low/light tech communication systems? (If you aren't, you should) Well, look no further! Below are links to some of the BEST communication book and board options based on several of the top AAC apps.

• Saltillo / WordPower
• PRC-Saltillo / Unity & LAMP Words For Life
• Tobii-Dynavox / Snap Core First
• Assistive Ware / Proloquo2Go

Generally, these books are useful for students w/ significant, multiple disabilities. We want to give students as many words available as possible, however sometimes students who cannot directly touch/point or have vision impairments and need help scanning communication/language options may do well w/ these communication books as a low tech communication option.

GP AEA Creative Services Price Estimate:

65# paper 8.5” x 11” white, color ink one side, laminated, chipboard for front and back covers: $0.33 per page, plus coil fees. When ordering through GPAEA Creative Services, please specify Symbol Stix or Boardmaker Symbols. IF Boardmaker, you will need to further specify symbols in STANDARD OR HIGH CONTRAST symbols

See Project Core PD Modules 4 & 5: Aided Language Input & Supporting Individual Access to the Universal Core. Any of the books below can be printed in high contrast Boardmaker symbols.

BUILD YOUR STUDENT (& STAFF) 84 Core + Fringe words in a Communication Folder! Core vocabulary is color coded for part of speech and can be introduced or revealed every week if needed with page inserts that slide into clear plastic pockets on both sides of folder. Fringe vocabulary such as 'yes', 'no', bathroom, help, and academic concepts such as color, shapes, numbers and routines are located along the top and sides.

GP AEA Creative Services Info & Estimate:

Costs vary on creating this folder through our AMAZING GPAEA Print shop but can be created for as low as $13-$14 on up to between $19.

How to create a communication folder - Youtube Demo

Communication Folder PDF

There are several ways in which you can add fringe vocabulary to static communication boards. One popular way is via the fringe flip. Generally, a fringe flip includes 1 or 2 rows of highly familiar everyday vocabulary for school, home and the general community environment. The nouns: people, places, things! Often, vocabulary such as snacks, toys, art supplies, colors, shapes, numbers, calendar, weather, school activities, body parts and feelings/emotions are included too. Be sure to check out the Super Power Speech blog for an ingenious idea on adding additional fringe for the ton of books and toys used w/o over doing it!

Below are three examples w/ links to the PDFs and instructions to create the fringe flip!

GP AEA Creative Services Info & Estimates: Coming soon!

• Requires a 3D Printer
• Download instructions for creating AND using w/ students here: http://www.project-core.com/3d-symbols/
• GPAEA does NOT offer printing services to create these symbols. Options are often available within school districts wherever 3D printing is done.
• UPS offers 3D printing services: https://www.theupsstore.com/print/3d-printing

Communication Easel - Order A frame easel from Amazon ($79.99) Take a core board (well, actually 2 core boards - one on each side of easel) and head anywhere in your school! Communication needs to be available all day, every day, right?

GP AEA Creative Services Info & Estimate:
15.6” x 27” heavyweight poster paper, color ink one side, laminated, 2qty: $9.35 x 2

Communication can happen everywhere! Including everyone in the rich communication interactions on the playground, in the gymnasium or other multipurpose rooms is important!

Check out the example below and another here: Sample Outdoor Playground Core Communication Board

GP AEA Creative Services Info & Estimate:

BEST for Indoor Play Areas:

Water resistant polypropylene - 90 x24 w/ 6 grommets - This example consists of the 84 core word vocabulary from the DIY core communication folder PDF (pages 1, 2, 6 & 7) as well as playground/recess fringe vocabulary (link here for screenshot of this vocabulary). Choose core vocabulary from the DIY Folder, Universal Core Vocabulary, Proloquo2Go, WordPower or others! $51.75

BEST for Outdoor Playgrounds:

outdoor core board w/ playground fringe vocabulary custom designed at signs.com. Metal w/ top coat is a great option for long lasting durability! Thanks Jen Norgalia for your R&D on this!

3' x 3' aluminum w/ color print w/ protective coating is approximately $105.

NOTE: In addition to the core vocabulary word list of your choice, banner is customizable with District and Community Partner Logos as well as inspirational text or acknowledgment.

• Option #1: Laminated "white board" style alternate pencil w/ alpha & comm symbols in 1x4 layout

• Option #2: Simple Notebook style with vision supports. Notebook is ‘whiteboard’ style with laminated pages AND alpha + numeric characters in size 72 font. PLEASE include Teacher of VI as you consider alternate pencil options for any child w/ vision challenges.

• Option #2 MUST specify the following....

1. --------Font size of alphabetic characters/letters
2. --------Font color
3. --------Whiteboard background color
4. --------Background color of letter pages

• Background color options are typically red, black, yellow or white.

• Font color options are typically hi-contrast in white, yellow or red (against black), blue or black (against yellow or white backgrounds).

GP AEA Creative Services Info & Estimate:

20# paper 8.5” x 11” white, color ink one side: $0.10 per sheet, plus cost of coil binding, hole punching, and/or 3-ring binder. 9 (2 legal; 2 letter) total pages for this alternate pencil: 4 letters per page; page with editing icons & white board style laminated in legal size page

• 1x2 and 3x4 layouts
• Purchase a 6 pack of these wristbands on Amazon for $29.99: Quarterback Playbook Wristband - 6Pack (need image of 3x4)

Augmented Resources Communication Folder - doubles as an easel!

http://www.augresources.com/Portable-Bi-fold-Communication-Folder-Regular-p/032037.htm

Allows for extra protection for communication boards/pages. These plastic covers can be written on with dry erase markers AND can be hung any and everywhere you want/need quick access to core vocabulary!

Megan Farrell, MS, CCC-SLP
Assistive Technology Specialist

800-622-0027x5391

Email: Megan.Farrell@gpaea.org
Website: gpaea.org
Phone: 800-622-0027
Facebook: facebook.com/gpaea
Twitter: @gpaea