Meet the Teacher Behind the Website

My name is Jennifer White. I am a Masters of Special Education student, an Inclusion Learning Leader and for the past five years, I have been working as a teacher in a specialized classroom designed for children who have moderate to severe disabilities.

A problem of practice that I have encountered involves the effective use of AAC devices in classrooms. I found when I first began teaching in a specialized setting, I was unaware of how to support AAC users, I had a lack of teacher training, and I was unsure of how to provide opportunities for AAC users to practice throughout their day. Most of my students are non-verbal or require the use of support to communicate more effectively. 

In my personal experience, the more communication a student has, the less frustration they experience, and therefore, less undesired behaviour occurs. I believe there is a strong correlation between communication and behaviour. With functional communication being a focus, students can begin to see the power of their words. 

My dream for my students is for them to be able to say what they want, when they want, how they want and to whom they want. Students should be able to engage in autonomous communication and be provided with opportunities to be able to chat.