Getting Started: Using Visual Systems to Promote Communication

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It is important to embed visual supports into visual systems. As the saying goes “A
picture can say a thousand words…” in other words a visual support (for example, an
object, photo, computer line drawing) on its own can communicate a variety of
meanings. For example, if you saw a photo of a ‘park’ it could mean ‘I want to go to
the park’ ‘I went to the park’, ‘I am going to a park’. However, if the photo of the park
was embedded in a visual system it would help convey the specific message. For
example, to convey the message ‘I want to go to the park’ the photo of the park can
be embedded in a ‘Choices’ system whose purpose is to present all the activity
options (Figure 1). To convey the message ‘I went to the park’ the photo can be
embedded in a ‘Chat Book’ whose purpose is to help the child talk about what they
have done (Figure 2). To convey the message ‘I am going to the park’ the photo can
be embedded in a ‘Schedule’ system whose purpose is to help the child understand
the sequence of events in their day (Figure 3).
Figure 1 – Choices System
‘I want to go to the park’
My Outings Choices
Figure 2 – Chat Book
‘I went to the park’
My Chat Page
park
beach
When? Today
Who? I went with mum
Where? We went to the park
What? We saw lots of pretty
yellow flowers at the park
Figure 3 – Schedule
‘I am going to the park’
Afternoon park icecream home