PODD

Pragmatic Organisational Dynamic Display

Today, along with an Assistive Technology Specialist, I am working with my first PODD system on a student I tutor. PODD stands for Pragmatic Organizational Dynamic Display.

Pragmatic-Social Language
Organisational-Words and symbols arranged in a systematic way
Dynamic Display-Changing Pages

This is a type of communication book that uses aided symbols (pictographs, graphic symbols, or whole written words) in a template that are organized into different numbered pages. This allows practitioners to develop strategies to enable a child with complex communicative needs (CCN) to be able to communicate in all settings of daily life. It provides the student with immersion and modeling for learning. The aim of a PODD is to provide vocabulary.


Below is a video of the PODD in action:





Below are some FAQ taken from  Spectronics PODD Info




Why use a PODD communication system for AAC??

Owen and his teacher Sue talk using his PODD using auditory partner assisted scanning.

To develop use and understanding of language

• A PODD can be used for one or both of the following:
• To assist a person to communicate more effectively.
• To assist their understanding of other people’s spoken language (a communication partner points to the symbols as they talk to the person with CCN).
• There is even potential for PODDs and other AAC strategies to assist speech development by supporting children’s attempts to produce spoken words.

Access to a larger vocabulary of words

• Just as a person who uses speech can choose from thousands of words in their head when they talk, PODDs aim to give people with CCN access to a greater vocabulary of words.
• PODD can provide a way to better express the person’s personality through a wide range of communication types, including requests, greetings, comments, questions, opinions and more.

How to use a PODD communication book

Kerry-Anne’s teacher uses immersion strategies to assist her language development

Use ‘immersion’ to teach language

• A primary aim of PODDs is to promote immersion, a teaching strategy where all those around the person with CCN use their AAC system when communicating with them, for communication all the time.
• The best way to use immersion for teaching language is to have access to lots of vocabulary. This allows other people to make the most of every opportunity to talk to the person with CCN using the symbols they are learning.
•  A number of studies have shown that immersion can assist language development for people with CCN by increasing the person’s understanding and use of AAC strategies (Binger & Light, 2007; Bruno & Trembath, 2006; Cafiero, 2001; Drager et al, 2006; Harris & Reichle, 2004).

Establish habits for communication ‘all the time’

• It is important to establish the habit to carry and have the PODD readily available wherever the person with CCN goes, at all times.

Always start on the first page

Example of a ‘go to page number’ link.

• For all PODDs, the person is encouraged to start on the first page to indicate their message. Some messages will indicate a page number to turn to, leading the person to more words on that topic.
• Unless the person with CCN is able to independently direct which page they need via the “go to page number” links, the communication partner will usually turn the pages. This helps the person with CCN to just focus on creating their message.
• How much assistance the partner provides will depend on the individual. 

Partner assisted scanning

• The communication partner points to or reads out the choices on each page.
• The person with CCN then indicates when they see or hear the message they want.
• The photos below show two types of PODDs that use partner assisted scanning.

Eye gaze

• The person with CCN indicates the symbol they want using eye pointing.
• They look at the symbol they want and their partner watches and interprets.
• The PODD has a hole in the middle (and a mirror for side-by-side sitting) so partners can see each others’ faces clearly.

Eye gaze PODD communication book.

Coded access

• Each column and row on a page is given a reference, such as a colour or number.
• The person with CCN indicates their message by looking at the colour, then the number that matches the word they want.

PODD communication book with colour-coded access.