COMMUNICATION

AIDS AND STRATEGIES

USING TOOLS OF
TECHNOLOGY
WHAT ARE COMMUNICATION
AIDS?
If an individual’s speech is unclear or has no speech at all, then a computer can help him be understood. A
communication aid is anything that helps an individual communicate more effectively with those around him. It is not
essential for the user to be able to read text in order to use a communication aid. Many aids are symbols or picture-
based and still provide full functionality in order to communicate with others. The use of PC to support an individual’s
need is likely to benefit him. But please be aware that getting the correct equipment with the correct software,
mounted into correct place, controlled with a suitable method, and will be more than 40 percent of a solution. An
electronic communication aid can be a device that has been purposely built for that job or a standard computer
running specialist communication software with the added benefit of being a computer as well.
 CHOOSING THE
CORRECT
COMMUNICATION AID
- Choosing a particular electronic facility will require careful assessment of the abilities and needs of
the individual so that the best device can be chosen.

- The majority of aids need to be programmed with suitable messages and a structure to suit the
individual using the aids.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
STRATEGIES
Effective communications are vital to achieve
the goals and objectives of the course or career
whether trying to improve services at the
building level, secure funding at the district
level or shape policy at the national level.
1. IMBIBE LEADERSHIP ROLE IN
COMMUNICATION
- Knowing and reaching out to key audiences/stakeholders.

- Recognizing communications opportunities.

- Developing and conveying key messages.

- Providing useful, relevant information to group or individual.

- Making use of resources provided by the school, district or division level.

- Coordinating with colleagues within the school, district or division level.

- Encouraging school psychologist to be active communicators.

2. DETERMINE KEY MESSAGE AREAS
Developing clear, memorable messages are critical to effective communications. Determining
what your most important messages are depending on the goal and the specific situation but there
are a few global issues that are central to the profession today. The school or district may help
develop and disseminate key messages on these global issues to a variety of stakeholder
audiences and for use by school psychologists. These can include:

- Prevention/Early Intervention (Prevention is Intervention)

- Children’s Mental Healthy and School-Based Services.

- Problem-Solving Model and RTI (Implication of approach/role of school psychologist).

DEVELOPING YOUR
MESSAGES
 1. IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE.
Messages even on the same issue should be tailored as narrowly as possible to the specific
audience because they have different concerns and perspective.

- Administrators
- Teachers/Other Educators
- Allied professionals
- Policymakers
- Advocacy Groups
- Media
- School Psychologists/Guidance Counselors
 2. FOCUS ON YOUR OBJECTIVE:
Consider why the issue is important, to whom, and why at this time. What do you want to
accomplish?

- Raise awareness of your role/value to students/adults

- Raise awareness of a specific issue.
- Increase your involvement/effectiveness on an issue
- Build support for specific policy/resource needs.
- Encourage parents/teachers/students to act
 3. BE RELEVANT.

- Relate the issue to a school, district or division context.

- People focus on issues they are concerned about.
- Articulate impact on students/school
- Include some supporting points about what parents/teachers/students can do.
- Provide your contact information
 4. BE CLEAR AND CONCISE.

- Pick your main point.

- State it at the outset.
- Back it up with 2-3 facts or data points.
- Provide specific suggestions.
- Provide personal examples.
- Use audience appropriate language.
- Avoid acronyms/technical language.
- Use active tense.
- Use bullets to the extent possible.
- Ask a colleague to review.
- Proof your work (or ask someone else to)!
 5. THE THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND. HERE THEY ARE:

- Most people will only remember 2 or 3 points in any communication.

- Be brief.
- Think about the perspective of your audience.
- You know the way more than your audiences need to hear/read.
- Incorporate language relevant to others.
- Think catch.
 6. BE CONSISTENT TO THE POINTS YOU MAKE:

- Emphasize the importance of prevention and early intervention.

- Identify the link between the issue/topic and learning and behavior.
- Reiterate the effective interventions and proper supports improve children’s outcomes.
- Describe, at least briefly, the school psychologist’s role in addressing the issue.
- Encourage people to seek additional information from your/their local school psychologist.
Effective communication is critical to the successful implementation of change initiatives.
Clear communication about the change is essential; messages should be easy to read, user-
friendly, informative and relevant to the audience.
 KEY THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN COMMUNICATION CHANGE
- Consistent, timely, honest, accurate communication.
- Explain the vision, plans, anticipated benefits and progress of the change initiative.
- Capture and address questions and issues (promptly!)
- Aim to maximize participation in the change process by involving employees.
- Constantly reinforce common themes and messages.
- Encourage discussion and dialogue about change.
- Adapt communications strategies as needed in order to address and resolve unforeseen
issues.
- Adapt the communication to the audience.
- Ensure the communication is effective.
 KEY THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN
CREATING A COMMUNICATION PLAN
FOR CHANGE INITIATIVE
- What do you need to communicate?
- With whom do you need to communicate?
- How will you generate awareness of the proposed change?
- How will you educate and engage people?
- What do you want to accomplish with the change and how can you use communications to
assist with this?
 UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE

- Who are they?

- What do they know/understand already?
- drives/motivates them?
- What question/concerns might they have?
- What tools/channels will you use to communicate?
- Who is the primary contact for employee questions/concerns?
 LEADERS FOR CHANGE
The person leading the change has a critical role to play; they should:
- Provide a clear vision and explanation and vision for the change – the rationale, possible
impacts and expected benefits.
- Send consistent and supportive messages
- Model the behaviors expected of others
- Provide regular updates during consultation and implementation stages
- Be open to feedback and suggestions, consider comments/suggestions and respond.
- Consider what communication will work best for delivery of the message: face-to- face,
email, etc.
COMMUNICATION TOOLS

Nick Roland (2017) emphasized that with the

proliferation of digital technology in the late
20th century and early 21st century,
communication has never been more personal
and powerful.
1. PHONES
- Before landlines are used as the primary communication tool of the people.
- Cell phones were thought of as luxury.
- Now, wireless phones are dominant form of communication in many countries
including the Philippines.
- Text messaging is rampant.
- The advent of the smartphone has enabled mobile phones to have PC functionality to
send large pictures and video files.

2. E-MAIL
- In 1945, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers and staff first used e-
mail.
- E-mail is a function of the Internet, and users can access it from myriad of devices
including cell phones.
3. SOCIAL NETWORKS
- Twitter is a form of mass communication, as messages get spread to may recipients.
- Twitter is a social medium, with that it enables instant interaction among users who
can communicate directly and “retweet” other Twitterer messages.
- Facebook is social media platform similar to it predecessor MySpace.
- Facebook has numerous functions and benefits and allows users to communicate on a
one-on-one basis or to large groups.

4. INSTANT MESSAGING AND SKYPE

- Instant messaging saw its peak early in the 21st century before the rise of the more
interactive social media platforms.
 THE USE OF TOOLS OF
TECHNOLOGY IN
COMMUNICATION
- Using technology in communication has become a necessity, it’s now part of our lives.
- People communicate through emails, faxes, mobile phones, texting services, video conferences,
video chat rooms and other social media channels.
- As time goes on, more emerging technologies will change the way we communicate and it will
be up to us to embrace them or not.
THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY IN
COMMUNICATION TO A BUSINESS

- Today, every business uses technology in its own way to reach the media and targeted
consumers.
- Businesses have embraced technology by easing communication within companies and among
investors and suppliers.
FEW USES OF TECHNOLOGY IN COMMUNICATION
TO A BUSINESS
- EASY PRODUCT LAUNCH
- PRODUCT OR SERVICE SURVEYS
- SOCIAL INTERACTIONS WITH CONSUMERS
- VIDEO CONFERENCING
- USE OF DIGITAL NETWORKS
THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY IN
COMMUNICATION TO
INDIVIDUALS
- Technology has changed the way we interact and communicate with others.
- With the increased use of social-based networks, people can create new relationships and
discover old friends.
- With technology, parents can communicate and keep track of their children.
FEW USES OF TECHNOLOGY TOWARDS
INDIVIDUAL
-- TEXT MESSAGING SERVICES
- SOCIAL NETWORKING PLATFORMS
- PARENTAL SECURITY APPS
- FREE INTERNET CALLS
- USE OF EMAILS
Thank you
very much!