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This is a joint venture between
Find A Voice, based in Ashford, Kent and Canterbury Christ Church Universiy, Kent.
To everyone who has responded to our questionnaire:
The information from the questionnaire has now been collated and is ready to be shared on the website Pathways to Speech Aids (PSA). Due to the time delay we would like to give you the opportunity to update or add any new or additional information to your original response.
to ensure that the website is up and running as soon as possible we would also appreciate if you could make any amendments before the 31st November 2006.
We would also like to thank you once again for your original input and for your continued interest and support.
Kind regards,
The PSA Survey Team.
Why do we need this project?
How easy is it to
get a communication aid? How is the need identified? Who carries
out assessments? Are all practical needs taken into account e.g.
wheelchair mounts, insurance, carrying cases?
1. Undoubtedly there is a great deal of excellent research and brilliant
practice taking place, however in many instances this remains uncoordinated
and unshared.
2. There is to be a website called Pathways to Speech Aids that will draw all of this information
together. It will be presented in a regional manner and so will have useful local, as well as national, contacts and information. This will help service users, parents/carers and professionals to access appropriate assistance and equipment as quickly and efficiently as possible.
3. One particular focus within our survey is to locate where research enquiries about augmentative an alternative methods of communication are being carried out. This will be shared within a specific area on the website.
Other outputs will
include conference papers and articles.
What information are we looking for?
What provision is there available for:
? equipment ? training ? assessment ? other services
and who funds these?
? Where is research taking place and what are the focus areas?
? Who is commissioning the research and for what purpose?
? What issues are being raised and how is the information being
disseminated?
How are we carrying out the project?
It is led by Sue Soan,
Senior Lecturer at Christ Church University working closely
with Joy Butcher,
Executive Director, Find A Voice. As part of the project they
have been asking parents and carers of those using communication aids and other services to complete two questionnaires.
This survey is now at the collation stage. We have had over 110 replies from professionals and parents, providing us with extremely useful information.
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