Symbol Communication Sign Overview

Pictures and symbols are an effective way for non-verbal, speech-challenged, and early-learning individuals to communicate with friends and caregivers. Placing a Symbol Communication Sign at the entrance to a play area ensures that everyone can express themselves!

Developed with guidance from experts in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and Inclusive Design, Karen B. Haines and Ingrid M. Kanics, Landscape Structures’ Symbol Communication Sign includes pictures representing nouns/pronouns, verbs, feelings, activities, and playground events as well as letters and numbers. While many different symbol sets are used across the AAC industry, the symbols created by LSI designers are universally understandable and easy to use. The graphics are simple and two-dimensional, which is helpful to those with visual processing challenges. They are arranged left-to-right as one would build a sentence with industry-standard colors representing different types of words. Additionally, symbols are placed on a black background to be easier to read for those with visual impairments. And because it’s manufactured using proprietary DigiFuse® technology, the graphics will look great over the life of the play area.

Add a Symbol Communication Sign to your playspace for more inclusive fun!

Karen B. Haines is a speech-language pathologist who has worked in the public schools, an acute care hospital and as a Teaching Associate Professor and Speech Clinic Coordinator for the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at West Virginia University. She recently retired from WVU after 39 years; although she remains active in the field particularly in the area of AAC. She continues to teach graduate level AAC coursework and to provide AAC consulting services. For the past 13 years, Ms. Haines has coordinated the Augmentative Communication lab at Camp Gizmo. She also teaches professional development coursework in Assistive Technology and AAC in partnership with the West Virginia Department of Education.

Ingrid M. Kanics, OTR/L is an occupational therapist who has worked for more than 10 years helping communities create and manage amazing places where all children can play together. Besides a Masters of Occupational Therapy from Duquesne University, Ingrid has a Masters of Interior Architecture with an emphasis on inclusive, sustainable design from Chatham University. She owns her own consulting business, Kanics Inclusive Design Services, LLC, focusing on the creation and operation of inclusive indoor and outdoor play spaces. Ingrid presents at local, state and national conferences on the topics of play, sensory processing and Universal Design.