Giving Kurt a Voice - Peer Tutor Support for AAC Technology

Finding the time and expertise to support students who use augmentative communication technologies (AAC) can be a challenge for school based teams. Delta School District has found a creative approach for Kurt, who is a grade 11 student at South Delta Senior Secondary. When Kurt arrived at the school two years ago, his communication was limited to body language and vocalizations. The school team worked with SET-BC and determined that Kurt would be able to use a Springboard to communicate, using his right elbow and a switch to select his messages.

The school's peer tutoring program offered an effective strategy for teaching Kurt to use his communication device and for updating the messages on the Springboard. Under the direction of the classroom teacher Sparkie MacVeigh and speech language pathologist Sandra Lumb, Kurt's peer tutor Rob quickly learned to program the Springboard and to provide Kurt with lots of opportunities to practice his communication skills. Rob also provides a teen perspective and voice for vocabulary and messages, so that Kurt can talk about issues that are important to his classmates.

Kurt enjoys the time he spends with Rob, but the benefits of this relationship are also important for Rob. He has learned technical skills and receives course credit for this work, but he also appreciates his increased patience, understanding and confidence in his own initiative to achieve success. The entire school-based team is happy with the results of this approach and they are looking forward to future progress for both Kurt and Rob.

• View video clips: Kurt & Rob - Using the Springboard

Kurt's team at South Delta Senior Secondary School includes:

• Julia, Kurt's mother
• Sparkie, classroom teacher
• Karen, teaching assistant
• Rob, Grade 10 peer tutor
• Sandra, speech language pathologist
• Sherrie, AAC teaching assistant
• Suk and Mary Ann, nurses
• Jan, occupational therapist
• Sue, physiotherapist
• Janet, teacher of the visually impaired
• Paul, special education administrator
• Micki, SET-BC consultant