We all have a need to connect and communicate with others. People with developmental disability may have difficulty making themselves understood and understanding other people but everyone can communicate and everyone can learn to communicate in ways that are more easily understood if they get the right support. It is not only people with developmental disability who need support to do this – their family members, carers, friends and the professionals who work with them all need to have good information, training and support to learn the best ways to communicate together. Without the right support, unmet communication support needs will affect every area of a person’s life from getting a good education, to appropriate health care, employment, positive relationships, social support and personal safety.
DDWA believe that communication is a fundamental human right and is working to improve information and advice for people with developmental disability who have complex communication needs as well as for their families and supporters.
DDWA Services
Support Coordination - DDWA can assist you to engage with services that will support you to communicate.
Advocacy - DDWA can advocate for your rights to communicate.
Other Resources
Communication Chart
An essential person-centred practice tool to use when people don’t communicate with words from Helen Sanderson Associates.
Communication before speech
A post from Uncommon Sense Blog
What is AAC?
A 7-minute read from AssistiveWare
Project Core: Quick Start Guide
Is your child not yet using speech, sign language or symbols to communicate with you and others? Is your child learning a communication system at school that is not available for use at home? If you answered yes to either of these questions, Project Core can help!
Communication: The Sky’s the Limit
Video recording of Jane Farrall’s plenary session presentation at the Angelman UK Communication and Literacy Conference 2019.
Support decision-making when you cannot speak
A 7-minute read from AssistiveWare
3 Strategies to Support Choice and Control
All people who struggle with communication can be supported to make their own decisions. There are many tools and strategies that can help with this (an 8 minute read from AssistiveWare).
Reducing vulnerability for non-speaking people
A 5-minute read from AssistiveWare
Planning for AAC in Medical Settings
People who cannot rely on speech are more vulnerable. Lack of access to their Augmentative and Alternative Communication system (AAC) is common in health and medical settings, where poor communication support can have tragic but avoidable results. Learn how to safeguard communication for AAC users in these settings
4 Things Every AAC System Needs
An 8-minute read from AssistiveWare.
Why Literacy Matters for People with Significant Disability: Talking with Tech
A conversation between Erin Sheldon and Karen Erickson in two parts, shared as episodes 148 and 149 on the Talking with Tech podcast. If you are time poor, we recommend you start listening to the conversation between Erin Sheldon and Karen Erickson when it begins:
- 8 minutes 45 seconds into Episode 148
- 11 minutes into Episode 149
Complex Communication Support for Individuals & Families
DDWA is working to improve information and advice for people with developmental disability who have complex communication needs, and for their families and supporters.
If you have any questions or need any assistance with accessing or using resources, please call us on 9420 7203 or email ddwa@ddwa.org.au.
You will find links download links to PDFs, Tar Heel Reader and The Pictello app.