Increasing inclusion in early childhood: Key Word Sign as a communication partner intervention

IntroductionIn this study, 196 pre-service early childhood teachers were taught to use manual signing as an augmentative communication strategy,and then asked to explore ways to implement this strategy in inclusive early childhood experiences.

Participant perceptions of the implications of using manual signing in early childhood settings are reported in this paper.In the analysis,we engage with social relational and human rights models of disability. While this study addresses only a very micro aspect of the complex considerations of both these models, it nonetheless provides a window into some possibilities for the application of these models in supporting genuinely inclusive education.

Augmentative and alternative communication Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) involves the use of strategies to augment existing communication,alongside or as an alternative to spoken language,in order to facilitate participation and choice (Beukelman and Mirenda2013). AAC involves the use of aided and unaided strategies and includes all forms of communication, other than oral speech, that are used to express thoughts, needs, feelings, desires, choices and ideas

To improve knowledge of supporting genuinely inclusive education.

To improve knowledge about alternative communication in ECEC.