ACAP - Augmentative Communication Assessment Profile

HELENA GOLDMAN has more than 20 years experience of working as a speech and language therapist with non-verbal children in predominantly educational settings in the UK and Australia. Since 1994 she has worked at Uffculme School in Birmingham, which is an early years and primary school for 116 children with autistic spectrum disorders. As the Manager of Language and Communication, and as a member of the school's senior management team, she is involved in communication and literacy initiatives as well as curriculum development and behaviour management. She is also actively involved in the school's outreach work in supporting pupils with autism in other settings.

ACAP identifies the method that has the best prospect of becoming a truly functional and effective method of communication on an individual basis. The profile has a simple yes/no question format, all of which relate to communication-linked skills and levels of development. The assessment takes approximately 15 minutes to complete, after which a simple key is used to pinpoint one of the following methods of augmentative communication; signing (eg Makaton); picture-pointing communication (communication charts, boards and books); or a picture trading communication system such as PECs.