Friday Announcements – 07 February 2025

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1. AAC Language Lab UK Closure
2. New Features in Scene & Heard Pro – Now Live!
3. Smartbox is Hiring – 2 x Content Assistants
4. 2-Day PODD Training for Professionals and Parents
5. AAC Consultant Vacancies at Ace Centre
6. Being the Boss – Workshops for Individual Employers

News from Communication Matters
7. Communication Matters International AAC Conference 2025 – Save The Date!
8. Communication Matters International AAC Conference 2025 – Call for Papers!
9. About Friday Announcements


1. AAC Language Lab UK Closure

From Emily Gabrielle, Liberator Ltd:

The AAC Language Lab UK merged with the original AAC Language Lab on 1st March 2024. This means that all content is now available to you as soon as it goes live, and subscribers have instant access to all the newest specialist curriculums such as ‘Getting Ready to Read’ and the ‘BRICS’ young-adult curriculum.

As the next step in this transition, the AAC Language Lab UK website will close on 1st March 2025. To continue using the AAC Language Lab you will have to go to www.aaclanguagelab.com.

More information, including how to subscribe to the new site, is available here.

 

2. New Features in Scene & Heard Pro – Now Live!

From Annie Galvin, Therapy Box Ltd:

We’re excited to introduce the latest version of Scene & Heard Pro, packed with powerful new features! Hotspot functionality has been boosted with options like Scale to create a range of choices, Timer to control actions precisely, Border Colour to personalise each hotspot, and Order to set the sequence of their actions. Plus, you can now add two interactive options for real-time choices in scenes.

The visual timetable has also been improved, allowing you to add multiple timetables and simplify colours for a more streamlined experience.

These features are designed to give you more flexibility and creativity in your visual scenes. Update now and unlock the full potential of Scene & Heard Pro! We can’t wait to see what you create!

Scene & Heard Pro: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/scene-heard-pro/id6446024333

Scene & Heard Pro Lifetime: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/scene-heard-pro-lifetime/id6456942124

 

3. Smartbox is Hiring – 2 x Content Assistants

From Natasha Roberts, Smartbox Assistive Technology Ltd: 

We’re looking for two Content Assistants to join our team, to help us improve and create new content for Grid AAC software. These roles will be developing, testing and maintaining grid sets, ensuring they are user-friendly, high-quality and consistent across different languages. We’re hoping to find someone with knowledge of AAC, experience using Grid and a keen eye for detail.

These are full-time roles, based in our Bristol office with flexible working. Find out more: Content Assistant.

 

4. 2-Day PODD Training for Professionals and Parents   

From Debbie Litten, Woodlands School:

24th & 25th March 2025 at Woodlands School, Leatherhead, Surrey.

Rosie Clark is a head teacher of a school in Leatherhead. She has worked with children with complex physical, learning and communication needs for over 24 years.  Rosie has implemented the PODD (Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display) system at two special schools in the UK with a range of children and has completed the weeklong intensive PODD course on numerous occasions.  Rosie has also assisted with running both three and five-day courses in the UK whilst working closely with Gayle Porter who designed the PODD system.

Participants on the course will be able to:

  • Describe the challenges faced by professionals creating communication systems in relation to vocabulary organisation, layout, design, range of access strategies and customising for individual requirements.
  • Discuss the importance of receptive language input and creating a language learning environment.
  • Discuss the features of a PODD communication system, including vocabulary organisation, layout, design and range of access strategies and customising for individual requirements.
  • Use PODD generic template resources to produce customised communication books.
  • Discuss the teaching and learning strategies for implementing PODD communication systems with students and team members.

Please contact Debbie Litten at [email protected] for more details.

 

5. AAC Consultant Vacancies at Ace Centre

From Rachel Thwaite, Ace Centre:

Ace Centre is a national charity offering a range of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Assistive Technology (AT) services for people with physical and communication impairments and those who support them.

We have two vacancies:

  • one in our North office (Oldham) &
  • one in our South office (Abingdon)

AAC Consultant

Salary: £30,559 to £39,513 (depending on experience) Contract: Permanent Working Pattern: Full-time

This role would suit a newly qualified Occupational Therapist or Speech & Language Therapist and, whilst we would like you to have an interest in supporting people to communicate, it is not essential that you have experience of working within this field as excellent supervision and training will be provided.

You will bring your core clinical skills and enthusiasm to this position to support the assessment process, and in turn we will support you to develop your AAC knowledge and skills through a wide range of CPD opportunities.

For further information and to apply, please visit our website: https://acecentre.org.uk/work-with-us

Closing date for applications: 26/02/25

Interviews:

  • North office: 19th & 20th March 2025
  • South office: 13th & 14th March 2025

Ace Centre is an equal opportunities employer; we welcome enquiries from everyone and value diversity in our workforce.

 

6. Being the Boss – Workshops for Individual Employers 

From Bringing Us Together:

We are a team with many years lived experience of employing our own Personal Assistants.

We welcome you to join us for a brand new series of workshops for individual employers and those receiving Direct Payments. These are a safe place to learn together and to share experiences and solutions to some of the everyday complexities facing Direct Payment employers.

Funded by Skills for Care, our bespoke workshops are designed to provide you with the information, knowledge and confidence to be the best boss whilst taking away some of the burden we all feel.

We will be sharing tips and ideas on looking after yourself whilst being the boss and managing PAs. All workshops are recorded for those unable to make the dates.

Topics include:

  • Baggy Boundaries – Wednesday 26th February 1-3pm
  • Difficult Situations – Wednesday 5th March 1-3pm
  • Privacy – Wednesday 26th March 1-3pm

and more to follow. For information and booking, email [email protected].

 

7. Communication Matters International AAC Conference 2025 – Save The Date!

The Communication Matters International AAC Conference 2025 will take place from Monday 8th to Tuesday 9th September 2025 at the University of Leeds.

Visit our conference website to find out more and please share our conference flyer.

You can also register your interest to find out more about the programme, exhibition, social events, venue and how to register as they are announced.

 

8. Communication Matters International AAC Conference 2025 – Call for Papers!

You are invited to contribute to the Communication Matters International AAC Conference 2025 (8-9 September, University of Leeds).

Presentations should be relevant to the field of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and where possible promote the positive role of AAC in the empowerment of the people who use it. This year’s theme for conference is ‘Identity’. We welcome abstract submissions covering any of the areas this theme encompasses. Topics to cover could include vocabulary, gender, cultural influences, person centred service delivery, self-advocacy, AI, neurodiversity or anything that links AAC to a user’s identity. We are open to presentations from all in the AAC community including professionals and supporters and we especially encourage contributions from AAC users and family members.

We have based our topic areas for the presentations on the three aspects of evidence-based practice which represent improved outcomes for all. These aspects are:

  • Best Research Evidence: Papers submitted under this heading are carried out by independent organisations such as education, social or health services and universities. Authors should pay particular attention to describing the methodology and results of the study.
  • Clinical and Professional Service Delivery: Papers submitted under this heading may include service development, audit or implementation projects, as well as practice reports. Typically, these papers will be presented by those providing a service for AAC users.
  • Personal Stories and Case Studies: Papers submitted under this heading would include personal experience stories, single case studies and examples of AAC in the wider community.

Papers can be submitted as either a Platform presentation (45-minutes), Workshop presentation (45-minutes), a Poster, or a Lightning Talk (6.25 minutes or 12.5 minutes for AAC users).

We are using an online submission programme called Aventri. You will be asked to create an account, login and submit a simple form with a title and an abstract (a short summary) about your talk (maximum 300 words).

The deadline for submissions is 16 April 2025. However, please submit your abstract as soon as possible to help with our planning.

Further information can be found on our website: https://eu.eventscloud.com/website/15994/callforpapers/.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the opportunity, please email [email protected].

 

9. About Friday Announcements

These ‘Friday Announcements’ comprise weekly product updates, upcoming courses, and supplier news. Please email [email protected] with the item you want to be included by Thursday at 5pm – no more than 200 words (one entry per organisation per week) – and include contact email and/or link so readers can find out further information (no file attachments please).