Recent documentation and funding

Since 1995 the National Curriculum has acknowledged the importance of AAC. The National Curriculum 2000 went much further, requiring teachers to use ‘ICT, other technological aids and taped materials’ and ‘alternative and augmentative communication, including signs and symbols’ (NC online, downloaded 14.05.2002). The National Literacy Strategy, the National Numeracy Strategy and the National Curriculum for IT all acknowledge the usefulness of AAC systems.

In 2001 the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) published the Statutory document Inclusive Schooling (2001a) and also the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2001b). Both these documents reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing for learners’ communication needs. Following on from Every Child Matters (HMSO, 2003), Removing Barriers to Achievement: The Government’s Strategy for SEN (DfES, 2004: 31, 2.5) also acknowledges the need for greater attention to communication support: ‘Overcoming speech, language and communication difficulties is crucial to enabling children to access the whole curriculum.’ Using a case study from the Communication Aids Project (CAP) this document also encourages the use of ICT to support learning (DfES, 2004: 30, 2.4).

The government has, since 2002, financially supported the provision of voice output communication aids (VOCAs) for children in England through the Communication Aids Project (CAP) and also the Integrated Community Equipment Services Initiative. This funding is to provide hardware and training for the provision of AACs (Chan, 2003). A VOCA or Communication aid, is a piece of computer hardware (PC or Laptop) with special communication software. They may also have either a synthesized or digitized voice.