Speech and Language
At ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ we have a team of staff including our Speech and Language Therapists who work together to ensure all students with various communication difficulties are fully supported.
This team includes communication support assistants who specialise in a range of communication systems including low tech, high tech, hearing and visual impairments, working both with individuals and across the school.
Wikis
‘Person-centred planning (PCP) is a set of approaches designed to assist children and adults to plan their life and supports. It is most often used as a life planning model to enable individuals with disabilities to those requiring support to increase their ability to express their needs and improve their own independence’
Here at ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ we have implemented RIX Wikis to enable us to deliver a person-centred approach.
What is a RIX Wiki?
Wikis are simple, accessible, secure and easy to build personal websites. They can be used to create multimedia person-centred plans that use pictures, words, video and sound to capture the voice, skills, aspirations and needs of the individual. The software has been developed by The RIX Research and Media centre at The East London University. They have designed this software as an effective tool to support people with learning disabilities in their own Self-Advocacy.
The Rix Centre
UEL Docklands Campus
4-6 University Way, London E16 2RD
The Rix Centre website
The project began back in 2012 when we provided every student and family in the Academy with their own individual PCP Wiki. Initially we put Person-centred planning onto the curriculum with a weekly session but now these practices are integrated throughout each students Academy life. To give ownership of the Wiki to our students we integrated the production into ICT/computing lessons and invited parents and other professionals to be taught by the students.
Our aim is for the PCP Wiki to be a tool to support real personalization to learning and to enable our students to leave with skills to allow as much independence as possible. We also aim to involved everyone and use the PCP Wiki as a tool to bring professionals, staff and families to focus on the individual priorities, curriculum and future of each student. We want to empower every student, no matter their abilities, a voice/tool to share their needs, thoughts, progress, abilities, skills, aspirations, hopes and dreams. The PCP Wikis are used for our students to share and access Annual Review or EHCP meetings and also used to share progress and achievements at Parents evenings and coffee mornings when appropriate.
For more informationÌý
or contact:
 Kathryn Stowell
Email:Ìýkstowell@charltonparkacademy.co.uk
The Rix Centre:
Ìý
Rix Research and Media website, April 2016
RIX Research & Media is delighted that ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ has been shortlisted in the prestigious annual TES Schools Awards, in the Alternative Provision category.Ìý This category recognises the invaluable support to pupils offered by these schools, which make sure that children who may not be able to attend conventional school do not go without the great educational experience they deserve.
To read the full article clickÌý
Rix Wiki Login:Ìý
Person-Centred Planning Leaflet.pdf
We find the RIX Wiki platform a great way to also provide accessible information to our students and an excellent tool for staff to share knowledge and best practices. We would like to share some of these with our wider community.
(Updated October 2017)
Total Communication
Total Communication means that we are open to, respect and support every means of communication. It simply means communicating with students in the best ways accessible to them. It means not just talking but using other and different modes of communication such as:ÌýWe talk about these means under the following headings –ÌýUnaidedÌýandÌýAidedÌý
| Low Tech | High Tech | Communication Apps |
| Communication books | iPads | The grid |
| Topic boards | iPod touch | Proloquo2Go |
| ±Ê·¡°ä’s | Windows based tablet | Widgit Go |
| Talking Mat | Eye gaze | Pictello |
| Widgit Symbols | DynoVox | |
| Photos | Big Mack | |
| Touch cues | Switches | |
| Sound cues | ||
| Objects of reference | ||
| Intensive interaction |
- All these modes of communication are described as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).
Assistive Technology at ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥
Eye Gaze – Evening the Playing Field
Eye Gaze is the technology that allows you to control the computer with your eyes.Ìý Here at ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ pupils with a physical disability that prevents them accessing the curriculum and speech, the same way as their peers, use Eye Gaze to even the playing field. Eye Gaze has changed the lives of thousands of people physically dependent on others, now they can experience complete independence using the technology.Ìý Turning the page on a book that is being read, making calls, sending emails, listening to music, watching television and browsing the internet is all being done using Eye Gaze.Ìý Some adults have used the technology to start their own business and employ staff.
