Carmody Park universal playground's new feature helps kids communicate

Oct. 12, 2023 - Kids coming to Lakewood’s Carmody Park universal playground have a new way to share their thoughts and ideas with others following the recent installation of an augmentative alternative communication (AAC) board, the first of its kind in the city.

Communication boards use graphics and visuals to bridge the communication gap between those who are nonspeaking or speak minimally and their caregivers, teachers and peers, and the board’s installation is part of the city’s  Access Lakewood work  to ensure that residents of all needs and abilities can participate fully in Lakewood programs, services, activities and facilities.

Lakewood resident and former Camp Paha employee Arlo Paul, who identifies as autistic and a semi-verbal AAC user, suggested that the city install something like the board in late May. By September, that vision had become a reality thanks to Billy Cooper, the city’s Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator, and other Lakewood staff.

“It means the world to me that this exists as I am semi-speaking and use these communication tools at times,” Paul said via email. “Nonspeaking or semi-speaking individuals like me sadly sometimes aren't able to access high tech AAC devices so it's great to have a low-tech community AAC board at least, with words/phrases specific to the location.”

Paul also said that the board would be useful to the residents who are deaf or hard of hearing to enable them to interact with peers who don’t know American Sign Language.

The board’s installation at Carmody adds another element to the playground where children of all abilities can play.

“This is the first place we wanted to start because we know that this park in general serves those who need more accessibility,” Cooper said. “As we start to branch out, we can see what is working and use that in other locations as well.”

The board is located at a hub within the playground for maximum visibility and ease of use.

“We wanted it to be centrally located and in a place where different age groups might be,” said Lakewood Parks Manager Jim Haselgren. “It’s also close to a hands-on play feature and in good sight lines for parents and at the intersection of two different paved paths.”

While there are no current plans for future AAC boards at other playgrounds in the city, Cooper and Haselgren both said they are open to the idea if they receive positive feedback about the Carmody board.

“It’s been in for just over two weeks, so hopefully we get some more feedback and that sharing it will help bring in more feedback about it,” Cooper said. He also praised the speed at which the board went from idea to installation.

“To have a request like that from a resident and see how quickly the city moved on this,” Cooper said, “it was great to see.”