Newly Installed AAC Board At Lacey School Allows All Kids To 'Talk'

LACEY, NJ — When Dawn Watson saw a communication board that children with disabilities could use to communicate posted on social media, she knew she had to get one installed at Cedar Creek Elementary School, where she works as a speech language pathologist. But when she showed Jackie Ransuka, Cedar Creek's principal, she told Watson that the $1,200 price tag meant she had to do it herself. And Watson did.

The augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) board now sits proudly at Cedar Creek's playground, where children from all walks of life can use it to talk to each other. AAC boards use simple pictures and words so that nonverbal people can still communicate wants and needs with others.

Watson said she's seen an uptick in communication device usage in schools. She works with children with different disabilities, but many autistic children, as Cedar Creek houses the school district's autism program.

"As a speech therapist, we have a quote that I think Candice Patton coined," Watson said. "Everybody deserves their voice to be heard."

Watson knew she needed a board like the one she saw on social media for her students. Realizing that Eagle Scouts need to do a service project, she put it out on Facebook that she was seeking one. And when she finally got in touch with one, Watson said she knew there could not have been a better candidate.

She paired up with Sean Collins, who apart from being an alumnus of Cedar Creek, has a 16-year-old nonverbal brother, who uses his own communication board at school.

"It was like all those stars aligned," Watson said.

Collins set to work getting funds raised for the board, most of it donated by the Elk's Special Children Committee and Lacey's Special Ed Parent Advisory Group.

Then, the two had to decide what pictures went on the board. The Maryland based company Sharm and Associates had a template, but not everything depicted was present on the school's playground.

Over spring break in April, the board arrived. Watson and Collins installed it with some members and dads from Collins' troop. Then, Watson had to figure out how to teach all of the students how to actually use the board.

She teamed up with Jeremy Muermann, from Lacey Township High School, to make a video featuring the school's mascot Cubby explaining the board. Since Cubby doesn't speak, Watson said it helped students understand the board.

In the video, which can be seen here, Watson and Cubby show a few different ways to use the board. The video was shown to students during morning meetings, and Watson said now students are able to use the board to communicate. "It's been received very well," she said.

Watson said that within a week, students were using the board, which made her happy.

"Even kids that don't normally want to play, they're going up and pointing to things," Watson said. "And there's a group of kids that always go over to it."

Now that the installation is over, Watson has bigger plans. She said that smaller boards are being placed throughout the playground so that children won't have to stop what they're doing and go to the big board.

Watson also said that the school district is looking to get boards put in at Mill Pond Elementary School and Lanoka Harbor Elementary School, both of which have programs for disabled students. She also wants to have boards put in at township parks, particularly Gille Park, if not more, Watson said. She also reached out to Field of Dreams in Toms River. Read More: A Field Of Dreams Becomes Reality In Toms River

"I'm totally thrilled," Watson said. With this project and the potential for more, Watson said her own dreams were coming true.

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