Our projects

AACT through Viewtalk

Ken, our Founder, is working with volunteers in special education needs (SEN) schools to train pupils and their supporters in the use of computer-aided video communication to help them build confidence in communication.

You can read more detail of the AIMS of this work here.

iMuse

In April 2011 AACT took over the running of iSay as it focussed its objectives, becoming a programme, iMuse . This will enable those with communication disability to increase their enjoyment of,learn from and interact with museums and other visitors. We are working with museums and visitors to try out various types of mobile device such as smartphones and iPads.

Current news can be found at iMuse home.

During 2013 it is hoped to set up an advisory service so that more museums and their visitors can benefit from much improved accessibility.

iSay

AACT was a partner, alongside the Museum of English Rural Life and Reading Voluntary Action, in this small pilot supported by an RSA Fellowship scheme. It brought together people in the Reading area who have an interest in IT and communication disability. As a result, and through the generosity of Widgit Software Ltd, a student project to implement a social media system was able to use their symbol system designed to help people of all ages who have communication challenges. This was used in early tests of various IT enabling access to museums. This pilot ran from Autumn 2010.

A project to embed the symbol system into AACT’s website to make it more accessible took place over the Summer of 2011.

Virtual Learning Academy project

The aim of this one year project was to train a group of school-children, with communications difficulties related to hearing impairment, in ICT. AACT supported this work which involved 45 children, both in schools and in the Virtual Learning Centre based at Bulmershe Court.The project ran during 2009-2010.

SEED project

The aim of this project was to bring together in one place information for parents, carers and those suffering from communications disabilities, on what IT is recommended by major charities and related organisations. The work was supported by the University of Reading's SEED scheme and by trusts and foundations who have donated to our Virtual Learning Centre fund. You can see how to contact other charities and what they are offering in the way of info on IT by looking at these reports:

• Summary
• Analysis of Key Findings
• Key Findings Tables
• Articles and case studies

The project did its best to contact relevant charities to check that the information given here is correct. Of course things change and we may have missed some exciting developments. If you know of any, or feel we should alter the information given here, we'd be delighted to hear from you (info@aact4children.org.uk)

Update January 2011: Some of the documents above reference information from the UK Government-related organisation, Becta. The Government has announced that Becta is closing and its website is due to close on 31 January 2011, although links through to their information should be available until the end of March. We are endeavouring to take copies of the information pointed to in the documents above so that it remains available to you beyond that date. Please contact us if you have trouble accessing the information we are pointing at. Many thanks.

Summer 2010 project

A generous grant from eaConsulting made it possible for our Founder, Ken, to have additional assistance over the Summer 2010 period.

As well as background research on communications disabilities and on fundraising, this represented an opportunity to make presentations on AACT and selective mutism to both a school and to a group of Chinese teachers during their Summer vacation course at Bulmershe Court.

ICT to help overcome Selective mutism

The aims of this project were to see whether using two pieces of computer software (Lexion and Choose and Tell) at home, and then transferring it to school, will help children with selective mutism develop in the early stages of becoming confident speakers at school. The work was undertaken with 10 families around England and Wales by Michael Jones, an experienced speech therapist and story teller.

One of our Summer 2010 projects has also produced video information on selective mutism using the Winkball/Viewtalk system.