AAC Teaching Assistant (TA) Role

Areas of Responsibility and Specific Tasks within schools:

AAC use to adapt the curriculum: The way in which AAC is used to access the curriculum will differ from student to student depending on their ability levels and access needs. The AAC TA should be able to support the student by creating resources and adaptation using whichever AAC support has been agreed for the individual student. Resources should include presentation of facts (the text book/Power Point/Whiteboard key information in AAC format) and recording (individually differentiated so that the student can demonstrate knowledge with least physical effort necessary).

The AAC TA will need to keep up to date with changes in technology and opportunities that such changes might offer the student. Also, changes in the student’s needs in terms of access to technology will need constant monitoring and adjusting as necessary. The AAC TA should report any identified needs to the AAC coordinator.

Helping the Student to manage the school day:

This might involve:

• Providing pre-teaching and re-enforcement activities.
• Creating adaptation of the student’s software so that they can access the curriculum.

Supporting relationships:

• Understanding person centred planning approaches.
• Supporting circle of support if needed.
• Attending Map’s, Path’s, Solution Circles etc. as appropriate.
• Creating communication charts when needed.

Administration:

Depending on the requirements of the school these might include:

• Preparing paperwork for meetings.
• Taking minutes and distributing them.

Liaison and Meetings:

Depending on the requirements of the school tasks might include:

• Regular contact with subject teachers to ensure that they can assess the students and provide information for differentiation.
• Following the advice of therapists.
• Regular contact with the students’ parents/carers.
• Attending and possibly organising Annual Review and IEP meetings.

Areas of Responsibility and Specific Tasks around software use:

• Making resources as required on a number of different software platforms, especially the communication software that the student uses.
• Adapting the differentiated curriculum so that the student can access the curriculum as independently as possible.
• Supporting the AAC Teacher/coordinator with the preparation of assessments and exams.