FEATURED ARTICLE
YMCA Camp Manyung and Scope create Australia’s first communication accessible campsite by Jacob Matthew & Sarita Slater Communication Access Consultants Scope’s Communication & Inclusion Resource Centre
Jacob Matthew is an Access consultant and works at Scope as a Communication Access Mentor. Jacob was born with cerebral palsy and as a result, utilises a range of alternative methods of communication. Jacob is passionate about raising awareness of communication accessible and universally designed environments. Sarita Slater is a Communication Access Consultant and Speech Pathologist with Scope’s Communication and Inclusion and Resource Centre. Sarita supports businesses Australia wide to become accredited with the Communication Access Symbol. Sarita is passionate about building community awareness of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
G
oing on school camp is an exciting time for any student but being away from the comfort of home in a new, unfamiliar environment can be overwhelming. For people with disability, this experience may be even more daunting. A person with disability might ask themselves: Can I participate in all the activities at the camp? Will I be able to find and access my dorm easily? Can I talk to volunteers and staff? Will I have access to the services that I need like accessible bathrooms? Like most places, it’s essential that school camps are fully accessible for people with disability so that all campers feel comfortable, safe and included.
COMMUNICATION ACCESS: JUST AS IMPORTANT AS PHYSICAL ACCESS Whilst many school camps may have wheelchair access, it’s not often that all campsite areas and activities are fully accessible for people with disability. This means students with disabilities have limited activity options. Additionally, students with communication difficulties may find that the staff and volunteers have not been trained to communicate effectively using methods other than speech. Approximately 1.2 million Australians have a communication disability. However, this number is likely underrepresented due to inaccessible reporting methods1. People with a communication disability may have difficulties using speech to communicate. They might use methods such as writing, pictures or electronic communication technology. Some people also have difficulty understanding everyday spoken language or written communication. For these individuals, communication access – where staff, written communications and signage are fully accessible - is vital. Communication access means people are respectful and responsive to individuals with communication disabilities, using strategies and resources to support successful communication2.
1 Speech Pathology Australia. (2015). 2015 Review of the Disability Standards for Education (2005). Retrieved from https://docs.education. gov.au/documents/final-report-2015-review-disability-standards-education-2005 2 Solarsh, B., & Johnson, H. (2017). Developing communication access standards to maximize community inclusion for people with communication support needs. Topics in Language Disorders January/March, 37(1), 52-66
20
THE MAGAZINE FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTANTS IN ACCESS AUSTRALIA
