Further Support

Ace Centre offers training on Look2Talk. For information about upcoming courses see Ace Centre's website here.

For support with communication more generally, a great place to start is your local Speech and Language Therapy service. You will find details of this on your local NHS Trust website.

A communication book is one type of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The Communication Matters website (communicationmatters.org.uk) contains a list of the regional AAC assessment centres. You will also find details of national AAC services, and a wealth of other supporting information.

Ace Centre is one such national service and provides help and expertise with AAC. We also offer free information and advice services. For more information see acecentre.org.uk or call our free telephone advice line on 0800 080 3115. You will also find ideas and demonstrations on Ace Centre’s YouTube channel youtube.com/user/acecentre.

Ace Centre’s eBook Getting Started with Paper-Based Symbol Resources is a useful free resource. This can be found on Ace Centre's website here. It contains lots of information about getting going with symbols. For more information about eye pointing and alternatives, see Ace Centre's eBook Access to Paper-Based Symbol Resources When Pointing is Difficult. This is also freely available from Ace Centre's website here and is full of ideas for modifying page layouts to accommodate visual and physical difficulties.

If you are supporting a child, you may also want to talk to your local Speech and Language Therapy service about the You Matter courses (acecentre.org.uk/youmatter). These are designed to be run by Speech and Language Therapists and support the development of communication partner skills.

Two charities that are good to know about are Communication Matters and 1Voice.

Communication Matters believes that all individuals have a right to a voice through the provision of AAC equipment and services. They organise training events, produce publications and resources, and are involved in research. Their website is an up to date source of information for anyone wanting to learn more about AAC. For more information visit communicationmatters.org.uk or call 0113 343 1533.

1Voice offers a network of support and information for children and young people who use communication aids, and their families. 1Voice organises events to bring together families who have children with communication needs. For more information visit their website 1voice.info or call 07943 618 525.