Nowon-gu Breaks Barriers with Disabled People by Expanding Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

On the 13th at 2 PM, 'ACC Lecture' Held in Nowon-gu Office 6th Floor Small Auditorium
Distribution of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Tools Using Intuitive and Standardized Symbols
Expected to Improve Language Barriers and Support Effective Communication for People with Language Expression and Comprehension Difficulties

Nowon-gu, Seoul (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will promote the spread of 'Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)' to support communication for people who have difficulty expressing themselves for various reasons.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication refers to communication methods that help people with difficulties in language expression and comprehension, such as persons with disabilities, children, and the elderly, to supplement or replace speech. By using intuitive and standardized 'symbols' or 'picture icons,' it enables effective transmission of thoughts and emotions, facilitating smooth communication.

To this end, the district is focusing on promoting AAC education and distributing tools, recognizing that despite the necessity of AAC adoption, its popularity remains low.

The first training session will be held on September 13 at 2 p.m. in the small auditorium on the 6th floor of Nowon-gu Office. The training targets about 100 people, prioritizing frontline employees who closely communicate with residents, such as civil petition passport department staff and community center employees, as well as persons with disabilities, their families, welfare centers, and disability organizations.

The lecture will be led by Kim Ji-eun, director of the ‘Speech Therapy AAC People and Communication’ center. Focusing on the basic concepts of augmentative and alternative communication, the session will cover ▲ how to utilize AAC ▲ and a Q&A on various field application cases to guide practical improvements in communication environments.

The second training will be held in October for private welfare centers and stores wishing to participate in the project within Gongneung 1-dong, which has been selected as a pilot area. For the convenience of participants, the training will be conducted on-site rather than at the district office.

Furthermore, AAC tools will be distributed to public offices as well as everyday commercial facilities such as convenience stores, cafes, clinics, and pharmacies. The district expects that the vocabulary and symbols, organized into various categories according to usage environments and situations, will greatly improve user convenience.

Under the vision of enabling persons with disabilities to be independent and participate as members of society, the district has established a comprehensive plan for persons with disabilities, operating educational facilities such as the 'Lifelong Education Center for Persons with Developmental Disabilities' and the 'Vision Center for Persons with Brain Lesions (Vision Dream Center),' while actively carrying out support projects like the 'Digital Classroom for the Hearing Impaired.'

Oh Seung-rok, mayor of Nowon-gu, stated, "We are striving to eliminate various 'barriers' in daily life," adding, "We will continue to develop pioneering policies to ensure that persons with disabilities can enjoy comfort in their daily lives without discrimination from non-disabled people."