This presentation by Barbara Fernandes and Remi Salami of Smarty Symbols will guide attendees on the process to create and implement a communication board in public areas such as playgrounds, churches, zoo, waiting rooms and many other places

1. IMPLEMENTING
PUBLICDISPLAY
COMMUNICATION
BOARDS
BARBARA FERNANDES & REMI SALAMI
SMARTY SYMBOLS

2. Who are we?
Meet the Presenters:
Barbara Fernandes M.S CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Smarty Symbols Founder & CEO
Remi Salami M.A CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Smarty Symbols Sales Director

3. Who are we? Meet the Company
A company dedicated to supporting emerging
communicators. We do this through:
• A library of over 30,000 modern, diverse and
inclusive symbols.
• A user-friendly custom resource creation application
• Communication Boards for community inclusion
• Personalization and Customization Services

4. TELLUSABOUTYOU:
1.WHEREAREYOULOCATED?
2.WHEREWOULDLIKETOPUTAPLAYGROUND

5. 45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR: FAST PACED!
1. Introductions and Overview
2. Steps to building a
communication board
3. Advocacy
4. Meet Smarty Boards
5. Fundraising
6. Customization
7. The Process
8. Questions
AGENDA
NO DOWN TIME!

6. LET’STALKABOUT
VISUALSUPPORTS

7. VISUALSUPPORTHELPS
USGAININFORMATION

8. HOWMANYOFTHESIGNS
CANYOUIDENTIFY?
Total answer: 45 signs

9. A communication board is a
composition of images speci
fi
cally
selected to support communication
by pointing to or touching one or
multiple images.
Children with neurodiverse needs
can communicate with their
caregivers and other children
through the use of communication
boards.
Our communication boards have
been designed to
fi
t speci
fi
c areas
using appropriate vocabulary for
each location.
What is a communication Board?

11. Steps to a Communication Board
1. The location
2. Identifying the Vocabulary
3. Images for each vocabulary word
4. Licensing of symbols
5. Language Considerations
6. Determining Parts of Speech for
each word
7. Communication Board Instructions
8. The Design
9. Determining Size and Material
10. Researching Local Printing
Companies
11. Fundraising
12. Installation Materials
13.The installation

12. 1. Location:
1. Public Playgrounds
2. School Playgrounds
3. Splash Pads
4. Water Parks
5. Museums
6. Speech Therapy Rooms
7. School Hallways
8. Waiting Rooms
EVERYWHERE!

13. SELECTINGTHEWORDS…
1. Core Vocabulary
Core Vocabulary is a term used to
describe a relatively small set of words
that are used most frequently in oral and
written language
- I
- You
- In
- On
- Want
- Go
- No
- Yes
2. Identifying the Vocabulary

14. 2. Identifying the Vocabulary
Personalizations based on locations and personal needs
Depending on the location of the board,
our team might recommend customization options.

15. 3. Images for the vocabulary
How many words did you come up with? 80, 90, 112?
English
I/me/my
you/ yours
they/them
friend
Together
All done
Eat
Like
mom
dad
1. Where will you gather images?
2.Google Images ?
3.Copyright Requests from known
symbol set creators
4. Representation considerations

16. Representation Matters!
1. When creating a
communication board - keep in
mind your school
demographics, your city
demographics.
“ Representation in
visuals support
gives students a
mirror in a window
to a world where
we all exist”

17. Linguistic
Considerations 1. What is the linguistic makeup of your
school or city?
2. Emergent Bilinguals: Which
languages are most spoken?
3. Hire a translator or work with a co-
worker to create Bilingual Boards

18. Parts of Speech?
Which one is better?
A
B

19. 7. Write instructions based on the
audience, location and opportunity!

20. 8. The BIG DESIGN
1. Hire a Graphic Designer: hourly
or per design
2.Determine the best
arrangement
3.Color contrasts and color
harmony
A large board will require a high resolution
image with over 10,000 pixels

21. 9. Research Materials
10. Find a printing company
Wood Plastic
Metal

22. ADVOCATINGFOR
CHILDRENINOUR
COMMUNITIES

23. THATWASALOT,RIGHT?

24. DON’TWORRY!WEGOTYOU!

25. WEHAVEHANDLEDALLTHESTEPSANDMADE
THISPROCESSANEASY1-2-3STEPFORYOU!
WWW.PLAYGROUNDCOMMUNICATIONBOARDS.COM

26. Fall in love with our boards…

27. Meet our Base Boards
City Playground Board: English

28. Meet our Base Boards
City Playground Board: English with Bilingual Instructions

29. Meet our Base Boards
City Playground Board: Bilingual

30. The Anatomy of our Boards

31. Meet our Base Board OURTEAMHAS…
1. Determined appropriate
vocabulary
2.Selected appropriate
images
3.Determined best material
4.Made sure our boards are
diverse and inclusive
5.Researched best image
presentation strategies
6.Translated our vocabulary
7.Hired a graphic designer
8. Created Brochures with
Installation instructions
9.We are here to help you!

32. Meet our School Boards
1. Instructions are speci
fi
c to the
school setting
2.Vocabulary is speci
fi
c to school
playground or indoor setting

33. English Only

34. Bilingual Instructions

35. Fully Bilingual Board

36. Indoor Core Board

37. Pricing…
ALUMINIUM
Outdoor Indoor
$1,000
$1,150
$1350

38. Reference… Large - Plastic

39. What kinds of Customizations do you offer?

40. Unique Play Areas? We got you!
Send us a picture!

42. Unique Play Areas? We got you!

45. More fundraising Ideas…
Do you own a clinic that
provides services to children?
How about sponsoring a board and having your
logo at a local park with the communication board!
Advertise your services
Reach out to local therapy clinics or
pediatrician of
fi
ces and ask them to
sponsor one for your local park

46. Last but not least…
Get some publicity for your school, community or services.
Cities around the world are taking a
stand for diversity and inclusion. It is
just the right thing. But, isn't it amazing
when you can get some amazing pr for
doing it?

47. HELPISAVAILABLEEVERYSTEPOFTHEWAY…
Smarty Symbols Support: hi@smartysymbols.com
Remi Salami:
(Sales Director): rsalami@smartysymbols.com

48. IBETYOUHAVESOMEINSTALLATION
QUESTIONS…
We have a guide and the
knowledge to support this
process.

49. READYTOMAKEYOURPUBLICSPACE
MOREINCLUSIVE?
THANKYOU!