At Charlton Park Academy we use a whole range of assistive and interactive technologies to support the wide range of abilities and strengths of the students.

 

 

© CENMAC’s 50th celebratory film about Assistive Technology in Education.

 

The technologies are used to enhance our curriculum offer, to support communication and overcome a number of barriers to accessing education.

We have an approach which looks at the best fit to the students and not just one solution across the Academy, this includes a whole range of devices and platforms, along with interactive technology like the No Isolation Robot, Eye Gaze, Interactive floor, Wikis, Cosmo switches, Environmental control and using Alexia in the classroom.

 

The products and companies we use are:

  • CENMAC: CENMAC is a unique, London-based support service offering assessments, reviews and loan of equipment to help pupils with a disability access the curriculum using assistive technology.
    cenmac.com
  • Commtap: Resources for developing children’s and adults’ communication skills created by speech and language therapists and other specialists. These resources are suitable for use by speech and language therapists, school or centre staff, parents and carers.  en.commtap.org
  • Cosmo: An award-winning system that changes the way that early years learners and young people with SEN train their physical, cognitive and communication skills.  www.filisia.com
  • Crick Software: Many children struggle with their learning due to their literacy difficulties. Therefore, Crick Software have created products to overcome those difficulties, and make them accessible for all. www.cricksoft.com
  • Inclusive Technology: Inclusive Technology is a leading supplier of software and hardware for people with special needs. www.inclusive.co.uk
  • LGFL: A community of schools and local authorities committed to using technology to enhance teaching and learning.  www.lgfl.net
  • Liberator: Liberator believe everyone deserves a voice and their mission is to help clients achieve their full potential in life. Our assistive technology solutions focus on language development and support independent and spontaneous communication to enrich lives.  www.liberator.co.uk
  • MERU: MERU designs and makes life-changing disability products for children and young people with disabilities. Some children have disabilities so complex that no available products meet their needs. MERU use their design and engineering skills to custom-make exactly what each child needs to achieve their goals. meru.org.uk
  • No Isolation: When a pupil can’t attend class themselves, AV1 will take their place. AV1 is the telepresence robot for children and young adults suffering from long-term illness.  www.noisolation.com
  • OhBot: Ohbot educational robotics system has been designed to stretch your pupils’ computational thinking and understanding of computer science.  www.ohbot.co.uk
  • Rix Media and MaTHiSiS Research Project: : RIX ® Research & Media explores and develops ways of using new technologies to transform the lives of people with learning disabilities. www.rixwiki.org
    The MaTHiSiS Research Project aims to create a personalised and adaptable e-learning system for mainstream and special education.
  • SoundBeam: Soundbeam provides a medium through which even individuals who have profound physical or learning impairments can become expressive and communicative using music and sound.  www.soundbeam.co.uk
  • Speaks4me: Speaks4me is an electronic speech communication application. www.speaks4me.eu

  • Spellementary:  Spellementary is a revolutionary word-finding and literacy tool designed for pupils with Specific Learning Difficulties.  It’s easy to use and supports those who struggle with phonemes, silent letters, double letters and other complex English language nuances.  www.spellementary.com

  • Scanning Pens: A portable device for those who suffer from reading difficulties such as dyslexia. www.scanningpens.co.uk

  • Sensory Guru: Sensory Guru are passionate about interactive, sensory and assistive technology.
    www.sensoryguru.com
  • Skoog: A musical instrument that anyone can play.  skoogmusic.com
  • Smartbox: Communication aids that provide a complete AAC solution tailored to fit individual needs. thinksmartbox.com
  • TobiiDynavox: Tobii Dynavox is the business unit within Tobii Group where we help individuals with different phyiscal and cognitive limitiations live richer and more independent lives.
    www.tobiidynavox.com
  • Widgit: Widgit Software has been a pioneer in the field of developing materials for people who have difficulty in understanding and using text. www.widgit.com

December 2019, Newsletter
Text by Claire and Sally

Supporting Students to communicate

Sally and I (Claire) wanted to introduce ourselves. Sally is a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant. My name is Claire Hennings and I am a Communication Support Assistant both at Charlton Park Academy. We support students throughout the school seeing students individually, in groups or supporting their communication in the classroom.

 

We both make resources to support their communication and independence skills in class, around school and in the community. Some of the resources we make are timetables, now and next boards, reward charts, topic boards (a grid with words and symbols for a specific topic), sequences (which can be used for a step by step activity like cooking or personal care). They help to support the students understanding of language, learn new vocabulary and expand their expressive skills. We also make and add to communication books and add vocabulary to high tech devices.

Sally compiles communication passports for students who are leaving Charlton Park Academy. Communication passports contain important information about a student to take with them to a new setting or meet new people. Visuals can help our students in so many ways, and we don’t want to keep it just at school, if you think visuals would be helpful for you at home, we would be happy to help.

We look forward to hearing from you.
Contact Sally or Claire via your child’s class teacher