This short chapter details how to assemble a Look2Talk book. It applies whether you are using the printed demonstration pages or putting together a personalized communication book for a learner.
If assembling a book containing demonstration pages, you will need to first download them from the Ace centre website here. If you are creating a personalised communication book, you will need to create pages at the appropriate Stage using the templates supplied. See Software with templates, a printer, hole punch and (optional) laminator for more information.
For special considerations when printing at an A3 size, see Appendix 7: Assembling an A3 communication book.
The first step is to print the pages using a colour printer. Print the pages single sided.
Having printed your pages, you may well want to laminate them to increase robustness. This will be essential if you are keeping the pages together using loose binder rings. However, it is still helpful within a communication easel. See A communication easel for more information.
If you do laminate the pages, matt laminate pouches tend to work best as glossy laminate can result in the symbols being distorted by the reflected glare of overhead lighting.
Because of the use of tabs, the pages will need to be cut out before laminating, and then cut out again after laminating.
To help the communication partner move through the book more quickly, it is helpful to handwrite the page name and number on the back of the tabs before laminating. This is especially relevant from Stage Three. If you write the label upside down on the tab, it will make it easier to read as you flick back through the book - see the video below for a demonstration.
An alternative to laminating is to print the pages on specialist waterproof or non-tear paper.
The pages will then need to be hole punched. We have found that using a four-hole punch works best.
When lining up topic pages in the four-hole punch, treat them as if they were a landscape page with the left-hand area removed (topic pages at Stages Four and Five are already landscape so this doesn't apply). To ensure perfect alignment, if your four-hole punch has an A4 page guide, line this up with the edge of the paper page rather than the edge of the laminated page.
VIDEO: This video shows how to make a page in a Look2Talk book.
The Menu page sits on top and uses all four rings.
Topic pages sit under the Menu page. They are on the right-hand side and use three rings.
The core page sits at the back and uses all four rings. This ensures all the core symbols are visible no matter what the topic.
The Menu page sits on top and uses all four rings.
Page 1 Spelling is next and uses all four rings.
Topic pages come next. They sit on the right-hand side and are held in place using three rings.
The core page sits at the back and uses all four rings. This ensures that twelve core symbols are visible no matter what the topic.
Optional: print an extra copy of the core and Menu pages. Place them back-to-back and laminate. Secure this laminated sheet to the communication easel using Velcro™ dots. See Provide a way of moving around the book for more information and photos to illustrate.
All pages use all 4 rings.
The Menu page sits on top.
The topic pages follow.
The core page sits at the back.
Optional: print an extra copy of the core and Menu pages. Place them back-to-back and laminate. Secure this laminated sheet to the communication easel using Velcro™ dots. See Provide a way of moving around the book for more information and photos to illustrate.
The Menu page sits on top and uses all 4 rings.
Page 1 Spelling is next and uses all 4 ring (or you can create a spelling page that sits on the right-hand side and uses 3 rings).
Topic pages come next. They are on the right-hand side and are held in place using 3 rings.
The core page sits at the back and uses all 4 rings.
Optional: print an extra copy of the core and Menu pages. Place them back-to-back and laminate. Secure this laminated sheet to the communication easel using Velcro™ dots. See Provide a way of moving around the book for more information and photos to illustrate.
If you have a lot of topic pages, you can divide these into sections with the help of tabs on the right-hand side. If you label the side tab with the numbers of the pages behind it, this will help you to move more quickly through the book. You can modify a standard set of dividers as shown in the diagram below:
Ace Centre Learning offers training on Look2Talk at least twice a year. To join a mailing list to be alerted when a course becomes available please click here. NB: If you are bounced back to this eBook it means you have already joined the mailing list.
You can also check our website to see if Look2Talk courses are currently available and to see other training opportunities around communication partner skills, AAC and access methods in general by clicking here to visit Ace Centre Learning.
