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Augmentative Communication Consultative Service

If your child has difficulty speaking or telling you their needs, wants, and ideas, then the Augmentative Communication Consultative Service (ACCS) can help. Using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ACC)—such as pointing, picture boards, or technology—the ACCS can help children and youth learn to communicate with each other, and increase their participation in activities at home, school, or play. This service is a partnership between the IWK and Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centres.

How we help

Depending on your child’s needs, the Speech Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, or Speech Language Technician may be involved.  

The Occupational Therapist works with parents and their child to decide how the communication system can be used in play, self-care, and school activities, and recommends how the child will access a communication system. The Speech Language Pathologist assesses the child’s communication skills, provides ideas to help improve communication skills, and recommends AAC systems including device, vocabulary, layout and/or strategies. And the Speech Language Technician assists the team during the assessment, creates materials for assessments, home programs, and classrooms, and educates parents and other team members on computer software, switch adapted websites, and switch adapted books.

Together the team talks with you about ways to expand on communication systems already being used by your child. The ACCS team may also recommend a simple or high tech device.

Accessing this Clinic, Program or Service

Fax
902-470-8348

A child can be referred to this service by their local Speech Language Pathologist.

Should the child be referred by another person such as a doctor or teacher, the local Speech Language Pathologist will be contacted to see if she/he would like to support the referral.

Within Nova Scotia, services are provided to children and youth from birth to completion of high school, unless services are already in place with another service provider.

NS Hearing and Speech Centre
Phone

902-470-8049

Fax 
902-470-2950

Children’s Building - IWK Health Centre

5850/5980 University Avenue
Halifax , Nova Scotia

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