Imagine you’re on a playground where children are running, laughing, and playing tag – activities that, for most, come effortlessly. But for some students at Aspire Living & Learning Academy, joining in isn’t as simple. One student stands hesitantly at the playground’s edge, watching the others with a longing to join in with no means to ask – until now.
The Aspire Living & Learning Academy (ALL Academy) in Trumbull, Connecticut, has transformed this scene by installing an alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) board on its playground, expanding the ways students can communicate and engage with their peers. Whether it’s asking to play or sharing how they feel, the board offers symbols and images students can point to and express themselves. “The installation of a communication board on the playground is a commitment to supporting students’ communication, not only through academic periods in the classroom but also while building relationships and socially communicating during recreational activities outside,” said ALL Academy principal, Lisa Riggi.
Taylor Knouse-Selk, M.S., CCC-SLP, a dedicated speech and language pathologist at ALL Academy, helped bring this new tool to the Trumbull location. Knouse-Selk, who has been with Aspire since 2015 and holds an advanced degree in assistive technology, has worked closely with students who rely on alternative forms of communication. “A large portion of the students we support at ALL Academy have some form of unreliable speech,” she said.
Many students use iPads equipped with communication programs. However, high-tech devices aren’t always practical in every setting – like playgrounds, gyms or even bathrooms. The communication board provides a lower-tech, durable option that students can use when their devices aren’t available. Weatherproof and designed for extended use, it mirrors the symbols and language systems students already use on their iPads. This ensures that students can transition seamlessly between their high-tech devices and the board, continuing to express themselves wherever they are.
The board’s installation was made possible by a grant Knouse-Selk wrote to the Aspire Community Giving Fund, a unique resource built from employee donations. The fund was created to provide financial assistance to Aspire’s entire community, including staff, supported individuals, and their families. Her inspiration to write the grant came from observing other speech pathologists using similar tools in their interactions with students.
The ALL Academy community has already seen positive outcomes from the new board. Students will point to the symbols and letters while interacting with their peers and teachers, helping to strengthen social language connections.
This project brings together two of Aspire’s core values: fostering innovation to create opportunities and upholding respect for human rights. “Communication is a basic human right,” Knouse-Selk said. “For many students, spoken language doesn’t come naturally or easily, so it’s important to offer multiple ways to communicate, whether through body language, low-tech supports, speech-generating devices or the AAC board.”
As we celebrate October’s AAC Awareness Month, it is important to recognize that communication boards represent an evolving field of research and practice. While alternative modes of communication have gained prominence in recent years, much of the focus in the past was on spoken language. Now, there is growing awareness and education around the ways people with disabilities prefer to communicate, and this project is a testament to that shift. Knouse-Selk and the Aspire team are proud to be leading this effort in the Trumbull community and beyond.