Pendle Community High School and College was delighted to welcome Joe and Doris from Tobii Dynavox for a valuable and collaborative visit focused on the implementation of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) within education settings.
Doris, who is the Education Business Manager at Tobii Dynavox, works closely with schools using PCS (Picture Communication Symbols) and Snap for Schools, supporting educators to develop effective communication systems that enable every student to have a voice. Alongside Joe, she spent time with staff exploring how AAC is embedded across the school and college and learning more about the experiences of both staff and students.
The purpose of the visit was not only to showcase AAC solutions but, more importantly, to gather first-hand insights from educational professionals. Discussions focused on the realities of implementing AAC in a school environment, including the successes that have been achieved, the challenges that schools continue to face, and the support that educators need to maximise outcomes for their learners.
Throughout the visit, staff shared examples of how AAC has transformed communication opportunities for students, enabling greater participation in lessons, improved social interactions, increased independence, and enhanced self-expression. These success stories highlighted the positive impact that consistent AAC implementation can have across all areas of school life.
The conversations also provided an opportunity to discuss some of the challenges schools encounter when embedding AAC practices. Topics included staff training, maintaining consistency across different settings, ensuring systems are personalised to individual learners, and supporting communication beyond the classroom. Open and honest feedback from staff allowed for meaningful discussions about practical solutions and future developments.
Doris and Joe were particularly interested in understanding how tools such as Snap for Schools and PCS are being used day-to-day, what is working well, and where additional resources or support may be beneficial. The feedback collected during the visit will be extremely valuable in helping Tobii Dynavox shape future support, training opportunities, and resources for schools implementing AAC.
The visit reflected a shared commitment between Pendle Community High School and College and Tobii Dynavox to ensuring that every learner can communicate effectively and participate fully in education. By listening to the experiences of staff and understanding the unique needs of schools, Tobii Dynavox can continue to develop solutions that make a real difference in classrooms.
We would like to thank Joe and Doris for taking the time to visit our school and engage so positively with our staff. Their genuine interest in learning from educators and their commitment to improving AAC support for schools was greatly appreciated.
We look forward to continuing our partnership with Tobii Dynavox and seeing how the valuable insights gathered during the visit help shape the future of AAC support for schools and the students who rely on it every day.