Playground Communication Boards and AAC
What a playground communication board can support, what to look for on site, and why one board cannot meet every person's communication needs. Use it to compare boards without overselling their reach.
By Derek Brumby, Publisher and editorReviewed by Inclusive Play Atlas, Source review
This overview uses ASHA's definition of AAC and self-advocacy context from ASAN. It is not individualized speech-language advice.
What AAC Means
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association defines augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC, as communication methods that supplement or compensate for differences in speech-language production or comprehension. AAC can include gestures, signs, pictures, letter boards, speech-generating devices, and other systems. A playground board is one possible support within that much broader range.
What A Playground Board May Support
A well-placed board may help someone request an activity, express a need, name an emotion, comment, greet a peer, ask for help, or indicate stop, yes, and no. Useful vocabulary relates to the actual setting: swing, slide, spin, bathroom, drink, break, hurt, wait, more, all done, and people or places nearby. A board should support interaction, not require a person to prove that they communicate in a particular way.
Access To The Board
Check whether the board is on a firm accessible route, has clear approach space, is mounted within reach for intended users, and can be seen without glare. Placement matters: a board hidden behind a bench, inside loose fill, or far from play may be technically present but hard to use. Multiple boards or portable copies may work better across a large site.
Language And Design Questions
Ask whether symbols and words are clear, whether more than one language is available, and whether the vocabulary reflects local activities. The board should be in good condition and remain legible. Public descriptions rarely establish whether a board was developed with AAC users or speech-language professionals, so Inclusive Play Atlas should state that only when a source says so.
Respect A Person's Existing AAC
A public board does not replace a person's own device, symbols, gestures, typing, sign language, or support strategy. ASAN notes that autistic people communicate in many ways and that not speaking does not mean having nothing to say. Communication partners can allow time, follow the person's chosen method, and avoid taking a device away during active play.
One Board Will Not Fit Every Communicator
Symbol systems, vocabulary organization, access methods, vision, motor reach, language, and literacy needs vary. A person may point directly, use eye gaze, scan choices with a partner, or rely on a personal speech-generating device. A playground board is best described as an additional communication option. Do not claim that its presence makes the whole site communication accessible or that every visitor will understand and use the same symbols.
Communication Partners Matter
A board becomes more useful when peers and adults know it is available and respond to it respectfully. Partners can model a few relevant symbols while speaking, pause for a response, honor stop and all done, and avoid turning the interaction into a test. Staff training, a brief instruction panel, or a duplicate board near a gathering space may improve use, but a profile should report those supports only when an operator documents them.
Check Condition And Context
Before a special trip, confirm that the board is still installed and readable. Sun fading, graffiti, a damaged panel, seasonal storage, or construction can change availability. Also check whether the depicted vocabulary matches the current playground after equipment changes. Inclusive Play Atlas should record the board's location, language, source date, and visible condition when known, while keeping unverified design or consultation claims out of the profile.