Communication boards and supports rolled out in Dublin City Libraries

Communication boards and augmentative and alternative communications (AAC) devices are primarily communications supports, with particular benefit to children or adults who are either pre-verbal or non-verbal and/or have communication difficulties.

The boards are to aid those coming into libraries to access our services. They are not being loaned out.

We wish to acknowledge the support of the Dormant Accounts fund in providing these devices, making libraries more accessible to all. 

Augmentative and alternative communications (AAC) devices

Lightwriters are text to speech devices. The person using it can type what they wish to say into the lightwriter and then it then speaks what they have typed. 

Lightwriter SL50 | Text-To-Speech | Sentient Healthcare

These can be used in the Central Library and Walkinstown Library.

TD I-110 devices are touch screen speech generating devices pre-loaded with TD Snap, Tobii Dynavox’s symbol-supported AAC software

The person using the tablets presses the relevant symbols to make it say what they want, so it is suitable for those where literacy may also be an issue, e.g. children. 

TD I-110 SGD | AAC communication device

These can be used in Cabra Library and Ballymun Library. 

Communication Boards

The Communication Boards were designed in association with Finding Charlie’s Voice, the charity founded by Evelyn Byrne in order to address the barriers facing children with speech and language needs. 

They utilise the same symbols as the Tobii Dynavox device and similar communication boards also using these symbols are found in many schools and in the Dublin City Council playgrounds.

Larger versions of the communication boards will be on display in 12 of the Libraries and smaller versions will be available at the desk of all Dublin City Libraries.