Autism Awareness Month: Communication Stations
by Darren Becker
Communication Stations have been provided to all english-speaking high schools and elementary schools across Quebec to help improve the quality of life of autistic youth.
The Centre of Excellence for Autism Spectrum Disorder, housed at the Lester B. Pearson School Board, in collaboration with LEARN (Leading English Education and Resource Network) will be providing complementary Communication Stations to all English elementary and secondary public schools, and schools in specialized education settings across Quebec thanks to a grant from the Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). In this partnership, LEARN will fulfill the role of fiduciary, responsible for distributing the tools to all English-language elementary, secondary, and specialized schools across Quebec.
A Communication Station is a form of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). It includes all forms of communication that are used to express needs, wants, thoughts, feelings, and ideas. AAC includes facial expressions, gestures, symbols, pictures, and written language, as well as specialized communication apps and devices that provide speech output. The stations can also improve communication between students and staff.
“What began as a local initiative introduced at two LBPSB elementary schools will now become a reality at a pan-Quebec level, so this is something of which we are very proud. These stations are designed to increase autonomy and self-confidence by providing a much-needed outlet for communication, thus enhancing students’ participation in school life, whether it be in the classroom or on the playground,” said Cindy Finn, Director General of the LBPSB.
In 2022 the Lester B. Pearson School Board Centre of Excellence for Autism Spectrum Disorder undertook an initiative to make every LBPSB school more inclusive by installing permanent Communication stations in all elementary school playgrounds.
The LBPSB was the first and only school board in Canada to implement this initiative in all elementary school playgrounds. As part of a pilot project in June 2023 Verdun Elementary School and Beechwood Elementary Schools were the first to welcome the boards and make the tool accessible for all students.
Thanks to the partnership with LEARN, in the coming weeks all English elementary, secondary and ‘specialized’ schools across Quebec will receive a Core Vocabulary Board vinyl banner and multiple complementary posters to display in their schools.
“With this initiative we are working to ensure our schools are more accessible and inclusive for all,” said Ms. Finn.
The Centre of Excellence for Autism Spectrum Disorder supports English school boards across Quebec by providing coaching, professional development, and the sharing of materials. We support educational personnel in developing their capacity to meet a wide range of needs in the inclusive classrooms.
