The main focus for all students at the school is to develop communication skills.
Communication allows people to satisfy needs, exercise control within their environment, establish and maintain contact with other people, ask questions and comment on experiences.
We use a combination of approaches which include:
- signing
- pictorial communication boards, such as Boardmaker symbols
- gestures
- real objects
- electronic speech devices
- photographs
- speech
Augmentative communication
Some students need additional support to communicate, which could include special speech devices, individually developed communication boards and books using pictures. Fisher Road School is proactive in ensuring every student has access to the latest adaptive devices to improve their communication. Through links with other agencies, appropriate testing and selection of alternative augmentative communication devices can be managed and included as part of a student's program.
Pictorial Exchange Communication System
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a methodology to teach communication to students using pictures. The main focus of the program is for the students to exchange the picture for the object that they are requesting. The systematic program is used throughout the school as a method for developing communication in a variety of environments.
