Hanging Out with the Cool Guys! Making music as motivation for teenage AAC users

This session describes how different professionals working at Ash Field School, Leicester, came together to work on a music project with a group of teenage AAC users.

Dan and Kev are two musicians who regularly visit the school and work with class groups and students who play instruments. The music project enabled Dan and Kev to work with the AAC users group. The students decided on a theme for their composition, collaborated fully with writing the lyrics, staged rehearsals and performed their song. They gave a live performance and have recorded their own CD.

The following aspects were highlighted:

• Multi-agency working
• Raising awareness and the profile of AAC within the school
• Promoting students' voice
• Building students' self esteem
• Addressing access issues for the users

• Supporting individual expressions of creativity.

The presentation will be supported by PowerPoint, CD and video clips of the band's performance.