Communication board

Also called Topic board, Situation board, Activity board, Choice board

One board, one situation. The quickest AAC to make and the one that lives on the fridge, in the bath and at the school gate.

What it is

A communication board is a single page of symbols, words or pictures for one topic or one situation: mealtimes, the bath, the swimming pool, a hospital ward, a birthday party. It differs from a core board, which holds general words for every situation, by being specific and disposable.

Boards are the most common AAC in the world, because anyone can make one in twenty minutes and most people have. Hospital communication boards are one well-known kind.

Who it can help

Anyone, in one place. A person who uses a device everywhere still wants a waterproof board in the shower. A person who has never used symbols can start with a mealtime board of six choices. A ward that has no idea what a patient needs can start with a board of pain, thirst, cold and toilet.

The limit is the same as its strength: it says only what is on it. A board of drinks lets a person choose a drink and not say they don't want one, so every board needs "no", "something else" and "not on here". And a life built only of situation boards is a life of requests; core words are what turn a board into language.

How it works

The person points, touches, looks, or a partner scans. The partner voices the choice. Boards for a situation usually mix a few core words (more, stop, finished, help, not) with the fringe for that place (towel, shampoo, too hot).

Layout follows the same rules as any AAC: consistent symbol set, cells large enough for the person's access, core words in the same position as on their main board. Laminate anything that will get wet, and Velcro or a lanyard for anything that needs to stay put.

Getting started

Pick the situation that goes wrong most often and make a board for it today. Six to twelve cells. Include "no" and "something else". Free board-makers from ARASAAC or Global Symbols will print it in minutes.

Put it exactly where the situation happens, and use it yourself there. A board kept in a folder is not a communication board.

When it works, make the next one, and after the third one build or buy a proper core board so the person has language across all of them.

Where to get help

ARASAAC and Global Symbols provide free symbols and board tools; Widgit sells the set most UK schools use. ACE Centre and CALL Scotland publish ready-made boards for common situations. A speech and language therapist can design boards around a person's own access needs.