Helping the disabled to communicate

Social contribution club “ENACTUS” installs AAC zone.

▲ AAC display with each language and picture

It’s noteworthy that ENACTUS, a KU social contribution club, installed “AAC (Augmentative Alternative Communication)” zones in Korea University for the first time in Korea in order to help people with disabilities communicate using pictures and letters.

The AAC zone at Korea University is part of the project “CommA (Communication + Able)” aimed at expanding and activating AAC zones throughout the country. It is a collaboration between KU “ENACTUS” and “People and Communication,” a speech and language therapy AAC center.

The AAC is a means of complementing communication that helps people with difficulties express their thoughts by using gestures, photographs, and illustrations. It is highly useful for foreigners who are not fluent in Korean, those who have difficulty communicating due to illness, such as the flu, as well as the disabled.

The AAC in Korea University consists of 31 easy-to-understand pictures in three languages: Korean, English, and Chinese. People can easily communicate by simply pointing to the corresponding cell on the ACC. To date, the AAC has been installed at 10 convenience stores inside and outside Korea University.

▲ AAC installed at a convenience store

The project plans to expand the AAC zone to student restaurants, fast-food restaurants, and cafes in addition to convenience stores. In the long term, it aims to be installed nationwide beyond just the commercial areas in the region.

“The project CommA was launched to help social participation of the disabled through smooth communication. We intend to create a social environment where people with disabilities in communication and foreigners can use the AAC conveniently. We will continue to strive to foster a better world in which all people can communicate and respect each other,” said Kim Hye-won (’17, School of Health and Environmental Science), a member of the CommA project.