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These dolls, emotion cards, and symbol sets are part of an AAC kit assembled by the Bizchut, the Israel Human Rights Center for People with Disabilities in Jerusalem. These communication tools are used by the Bizchut Due Process team, which is on call whenever assistance is needed by people with disabilities in police stations and courtrooms. This AAC kit was developed from Picture Communication Symbols, clipart in the public domain, as well as digital photos that can portray objects and concepts in a less symbolic manner. For example, the photo above, at right, has been used as a symbol for the legal concept of "oath." The Picture Communication Symbols at right are part of a set that was prepared for a child who appeared at school with signs of burns on his hands to help him explain what happened. To avoid any suggestion of leading the child to a particular answer, different possibilities are presented to answer questions related to the environment where it may have happened, when it may have happened, and who may have been involved.
Access to a scanner also can be useful to scan from print media to expand the variety of pictures for an "investigation kit." SLPs need to have access to these tools to produce quick and easy displays that can be used to supplement vocabulary terms for environments such as police stations or courtrooms, for legal personnel, and to provide vocabulary terms that can be used in abuse cases. Such tools can supplement the vocabulary system of the individual with a disability, according to Keren Yaniv, a volunteer for Bizchut. Visit www.bizchut.org.il/eng/upload/activities/people.html for more information on the Bizchut Due Process.
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