Kent and Medway Communication and Assistive Technology (KM CAT) Service – Adult Team
Our KM CAT service identifies and works to meet the needs of those requiring specialist alternative and augmentative communication (AAC). We also support local therapists by providing training and equipment.
Referral information
An assessment must be carried out prior to referral to KM CAT.
If your client does not meet the criteria for specialist AAC service involvement, they may still be able to access funding for AAC equipment through alternative routes.
Download our guidance for help with purchasing AAC equipmentIf you have any questions/queries, please contact us on 01227 864083 or email : ekhuft.adultKMCAT@nhs.net
NHSE requires that patients accessing our service are referred from a professional, preferably a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) in a statutory service role, ie, an NHS/local authority/education funded professional involved in the patient's care.
To determine whether your patient meets our criteria, please refer to the following documents:
Specialised AAC services decision chartNHSE Specialised AAC services specification on the NHS website.
Download the detailed specialised AAC criteria document from the Communication Matters website
If a patient has complex communication needs meeting the NHS England service criteria, make an assessment referral using the KM CAT Assessment Web Form
It should take approximately 30 minutes to complete and must be completed in one sitting i.e. it cannot be saved and returned to.
You will require the following information to complete this referral; patient’s consent or best interest decision, full patient’s details including preferred contact details and NHS number, Next of Kin (including contact details), diagnosis, medical history including allergies and medication, patient’s current abilities etc.
You will receive a copy of the completed form via email upon completion.
Referrals must be fully completed and received by 12.00pm on the preceding Monday (or working day if a Bank Holiday) in order to be raised and discussed at our MDM held every Tuesday morning.
If a patient has communication difficulty and the therapist is unsure how to proceed, they can refer for a consultation.
The aim of a consultation is to support the referrer when they are unsure how to proceed, and may be via video call or phone consultation. The patient is not present for the consultation.
Make a consultation referral using the KM CAT Consultation Referral Web Form
The form should take approximately 30 minutes to complete and must be completed in one sitting i.e. it cannot be saved and returned to.
You will require the following information to complete this referral; full patient’s details including NHS number, diagnosis, medical history, patient’s abilities etc.
You will receive a copy of the completed form via email upon completion.
Referrals must be fully completed and received by 12.00pm on the preceding Monday (or working day if a Bank Holiday) in order to be raised and discussed at our MDM held every Tuesday morning.
If a patient is registered to a GP in East Kent or Swale and does not meet the specialised AAC services criteria, make a provision only referral using the KM CAT Provision Only Referral Web Form
It should take approximately 15 minutes to complete and must be completed in one sitting i.e. cannot be saved and returned to.
You will require the following information to complete this referral; full patient’s details including NHS number, Next of Kin, contact details of people supporting them, diagnosis, medical history, and relevant Apple ID if referring for an app.
If requesting an iPad app, then please note that we cannot accept the referral unless the e-mail address for the patient's iTunes account is stated.
If your patient wishes to use an app on an Android device, please contact us to discuss before making a referral.
Referrals must be fully completed and received by 12.00pm on the preceding Monday (or working day if a Bank Holiday) in order to be raised and discussed at our MDM held every Tuesday morning.
Provision Only Service - FAQsIf you are an NHSE Specialised AAC Service and have a patient, currently under your care, who will be moving to the Kent and Medway region, then please contact us to discuss the transfer of care.
To transfer a patient to our service we will require the following:
A completed AAC services Transfer form
Copy of most recent referral form
Copy of current episode of care case history notes or a summary of intervention
Copy of relevant reports e.g. assessment report or discharge report
Copy of relevant risk assessments completed, including MAT-DOC if mounting has been provided
Copies of any risk advice provided to the patient
Copies of any user instructions (with photos to show positioning and setup of equipment) provided to the patient
An MCA Best interest’s decision form if the patient has not been able to consent to the transfer
Backups of high-tech and low-tech systems
Copies of any relevant warranties
Copies of any Technical documents relating to any custom-made equipment provided to the patient.
Please email all documents to: ekhuft.adultKMCAT@nhs.net
For transitions from the KM CAT Children and Young Person’s Team, please also include (in addition to the above documentation) the case transfer form to indicate the care pathway required:
NHSE; for those patients that meet the NHSE criteria.
OR
Non-NHSE; East Kent patients only, for ongoing equipment support
[Please also ensure a referral has been made to a relevant local therapy team]
Video recordings of patients can provide valuable information and help us process referrals.
Refer to our guidance on how to take video recordings for clients of AACTraining
Please check the training levels of each course to help you decide which courses best suit you.
If you are interested in attending any of our training, please submit an expression of interest form. KM CAT will email to confirm whether you have a place on the training you’ve requested.
All training is run via webinar unless otherwise stated.
Registration and participation
All training sessions will start promptly at the time specified. Registration will commence 30 minutes prior to the start of training.
Trainees are requested to turn off mobile phones, tablets and laptops during the duration of the training session(s).
Cancellation, changes and late attendance
Please inform us at the earliest opportunity if you are unable to attend. We may charge for cancellations received within 72 hours of the start of the training.
In the case of an unavoidable delay, attendees should phone 01227 864083 and the trainers will be informed. Attendees will be advised on whether their attendance is still appropriate.
KM CAT reserve the right to cancel or make changes to the planned training; changes could include date, venue, and/or training format. Cancellation or changes to planned training will only take place in extenuating circumstances such as staff sickness, under or over subscription of training, or adverse weather conditions.
Students
Please check with the trainers whether it is appropriate for students to attend with their supervisors. We will do our best to accommodate them if numbers allow. Unsupervised students will not be accepted on training courses without their supervisors. Please note that specific student training is offered by KM CAT.
Your feedback
Your feedback is requested after every training session. We would be most grateful for your comments to enable us to improve and adapt our training as appropriate.
Introductory
These courses are for anyone who would like to know more about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The attendee does not require any experience in this area.
Beginner
These courses are for people who are newer to AAC but are likely to implement it in their role. Or to those who would like a refresher.
Developing
These courses are for healthcare professionals who have some awareness and experience of implementing AAC.
Introduction to KM CAT (introductory)
1 October 2025 at 9am - 9.45am
This brief session covers referral criteria for assessment, what support we can provide and what equipment we can provide. This course is for anyone who would like to know more about AAC. The attendee does not require any experience in this field.
Voice and Message Banking (introductory)
27 November 2025 at 9am – 11am
Find out about the voice and message banking process, as well as important things to consider to support your clients. This course is for anyone who would like to know more about AAC. The attendee does not require any experience in this field.
All About AAC Apps (beginner)
11 June 2025 at 9am - 10am
This webinar focuses on communication apps including text to speech, symbolised and other specialist apps at a variety of price points. This course is for people who are newer to AAC but are likely to implement it in their role. Or to those who would like a refresher.
AAC and Aphasia (developing)
6 November 2025 at 9am - 11am
Finding AAC solutions for people with aphasia can be tricky. This training discusses the challenges, assessment process and AAC options for people with aphasia. This course is for healthcare professionals who have some awareness and experience of implementing AAC.
Provision Only Process (introductory)
10 December 2025 at 9am - 10am
This training is for local therapists that work with patients in East Kent & Swale who may use the provision only service. We will give an overview of how the provision only service works, the equipment available for request, what you can expect from us, what you need to do before and after referral and FAQs. This course is for anyone who would like to know more about AAC. The attendee does not require any experience in this field.
Talking Mats Foundation Training (introductory)
22 May & 3 July 2025 at 9am - 1pm (both sessions are mandatory)
2 October & 13 November 2025 at 9am - 1pm (both sessions are mandatory)
This training will help you to use Talking Mats to support the children and adults you work with to share their feelings, thoughts and views. It will help to reflect on your own communication and learn how issues that arise can be explored further through careful planning. See the Talking Mats website for more information.
Talking Mats Foundation Training is run face-to-face at Kent and Canterbury Hospital.
Fee included, please contact us for details.
This course is for healthcare professionals who have some awareness and experience or implementing AAC.
Top Tips on AAC and IG (introductory)
This training will highlight some of the main considerations around information governance, data management and privacy that you need to be aware of when it comes to AAC. Also, top tips about what to watch out for yourselves and what information you might want to share with your clients. This course is for anyone who would like to know more about AAC. The attendee does not require any experience in this field.
Please be aware this training is recorded and will be sent to you via an accessible link. Anyone is welcome to request this training so please do not share this link.
If you have any questions after the training please get in touch.
KM CAT Q+A Sessions
KM CAT can offer Q+A sessions via video calls to teams across Kent and Medway.
These sessions are aimed at answering a Team’s specific questions relating to AAC or the KM CAT Service process etc.
These sessions are not bespoke training or patient specific, Sessions will be offered where KM CAT have capacity to do so.
Contact us to express your interest!
Factors to consider when choosing an AAC device
An introduction to what factors need to be considered when deciding which AAC device may benefit your patient.
The consideration of access for AAC video
A brief explanation on what access is, why it is crucial to the successful implementation of AAC, and how to assess for access.
Useful resources
Please use the headings below to access useful resources.
Partner assisted scanning
Partner assisted scanning is used when an individual has difficulties or is unable to point to letters on an alphabet chart when communicating.
Partner assisted scanning involves the conversation partner pointing to and/or saying the letters in turn, which the individual then selects.
Guide to partner assisted scanningVocabulary gathering sheet
When planning low-tech communication aids and vocabulary packages for your patient it is helpful to gather as much information as possible to personalise vocabulary.
Guidelines to gathering vocabulary for low-techHow to support and use Low-Tech AAC
This guide is aimed at therapists looking to implement low tech AAC with their literate clients.
It may also help give an indication of a client’s communication abilities when considering referral for high tech AAC.
It covers:
strategies to help with communication partner training
tips on using different types of low tech AAC
dealing with different situations.
It also contains links to a number of new and existing printable resources which can be customised for your clients including:
yes/ no cards
Instructions for how to us various methods of low tech AAC
communication cards to aid communication partners
communication passports.
Choosing an AAC device for your client (where they do not need specialist assessment)
An introduction to what factors need to be considered when deciding which AAC device might benefit your patient.
Watch the factors to consider when choosing an AAC device video
How can I support my client to use their device - access
A brief explanation on what access is, why it is crucial to the successful implementation of AAC, and how to assess for access.
Someone might access an alphabet chart by:
Pointing (the user points to the letters)
Partner assisted scanning (where the partner points to the letters)
ABC
ABC Black on White chart - Letters only ABC Black on White chart - Letters and spaces for phrases ABC Yellow on Blue chart - Letters only ABC Yellow on Blue chart - Letters and spaces for phrases ABC Colour-coded AEIOU alphabet chart (with numbers) ABC Alternative AEIOU alphabet chart**(Ace Centre, acecentre.org.uk)
QWERTY
QWERTY Black on White chart - Letters only QWERTY Black on White chart - Letters and spaces for phrases QWERTY Yellow on Blue chart - Letters only QWERTY Yellow on Blue chart - Letters and spaces for phrasesHigh Frequency Lettering
The letters on these charts are arranged so that the most frequently used letters in the English language are the quickest to access - this can significantly speed up message construction when using partner-assisted scanning.
High Frequency Lettering - Black on White chart - Letters and spaces for phrases High Frequency Lettering - Yellow on Blue chart - Letters and spaces for phrasesEye pointing is using your eyes to indicate your choice by looking at it. It is useful for individuals with established good vision and clear eye movements. Eye pointing can be used to access several different types of eye pointing communication aids.
Yes and No Cards
You can use eye point with Yes and No Cards (Please see the Yes /No Cards section below)
E-Tran Frame
An E-Tran frame is a sheet of stiff, transparent plastic, which symbols, words or letters can be stuck on. The user can eyepoint to their choice.
A Megabee is similar except it has a battery and screen to display what has been chosen.
The E-Tran and Megabee are available in the Clusterboxes and from a number of UK suppliers.
Instructions on using the E-Tran with letters - download and personalise List of abbreviations for speeding-up E-Tran use - download and customise (credit: ACE Centre)Watch this video to see the E-Tran in action (credit: ACE Centre)
Eye Talk
EyeTalk is a new low-tech tool designed by KM CAT which looks similar to an E-Tran frame.
It is designed to be held by the conversation partner and the user can eyepoint to the group of letters they want. The conversation partner will then turn to the corresponding page and the user will again eye point to the letter they want.
This reduces the cognitive load of a 2-step process. It is also suitable for users with colour-blindness or contrast issues.
It is a PDF document which can be printed, laminated and bound using wire or plastic comb binding.
EyeTalk - Printing Instructions EyeTalk - Alphabet only EyeTalk with numbers - Alphabet with numbers 0-9Please acknowledge KM CAT when using or sharing this resource.
Watch this video to see Eye Talk in action, and read Tony's story
As the EyeTalk and EyeTalk with numbers are new tools, we would love to hear any feedback you have. Please get in touch!
Speakbook
Speakbook looks similar to an E-Tran frame, but is more portable and can have multiple page with personalised messages. There are 2 versions; one which navigates by colour and one by shape (suitable for people who are colour blind).
It was developed by Patrick Joyce, who had Motor Neurone Disease. We have chosen to host a copy of the English version, however there are versions available in other languages on the ACE Centre Website.
Speakbook Version 3 (navigate by colour) Speakbook Version 4 (navigate by shape) Speakbook Printing InstructionsSpeakbook is published under the Creative Commons Attribution -Share Alike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) licence.
When it is difficult to understand an individual’s yes or no response through speech and/or gesture, YES/NO cards can be helpful.
Place them at a distance from each other, for example hold one in each hand, the individual can then make a choice by pointing, eye-pointing etc. It is useful to check that you have understood correctly before moving on.
Top tip: consider presenting the YES/NO cards on the same side each time, for example YES is always in the right hand and NO is always on the left; this will make it quicker and easier for the individual.
Colour coded YES/NO cardsAuditory Scanning Phrase List
(Adapted from Linda J. Burkhart linda@Lindaburkhart.com www.lburkhart.com - taken from acecentre.org.uk/resources/)
If an individual is unable to see a phrase chart, then you can read aloud the options, for example categories or words, for the individual to choose from (selection is made through yes/no questioning). This is called Auditory Scanning.
While this method can be slow and cognitively demanding, for some individuals with poor vision it is sometimes the only solution.
An auditory scanning phrase chart divides options into categories so that the individual can first set the scene, for example ‘Do something’, and subcategories so that they can then select a specific message, for example ‘Newspaper’. The phrase chart can also include an option for using a spelling board.
The categories and subcategories on an individual’s auditory scanning phrase chart can be adapted to meet their specific communication needs.
Auditory scanning phrase chart - personalise, print and laminate for useA Phrase List for Repairing Communication
This list of phrases can be used by an individual to help them repair communication breakdowns by selecting an appropriate phrase, for example ‘This is not what I meant’.
The phrase list can be modified in order to be used for any other topic.
This resource also includes advice on the different ways in which the individual can access the phrase list, for example through pointing to the written phrase they want.
Phrase list for repairing communication - customise, print and laminate for useA Low-tech Example that Uses Core Vocabulary Across Pages
This is an example of AAC which gives the individual the flexibility to combine words in order to form messages.
It contains frequently used words (core words) such as ‘like’, which can be selected to start a message and which remain constant across pages; it also contains some personalised vocabulary under the ‘food and drink’ category such as ‘fish and chips’, which can be either used on its own or combined with core words.
Below is a link to this particular AAC example; however, since only the ‘food and drink’ category has been personalised here, the rest of the categories would also need to be personalised before this resource can be used functionally.
Low-tech AAC food + core + top page exampleLow-tech AAC Pages - Needs Chart and Speech Therapy
A single page containing keywords or phrases which are linked to a particular context, for example mealtimes or going to the hairdresser, and which can assist the individual with their communication needs.
Here are the links to 2 different examples of AAC pages, which can be printed and laminated for use:
An AAC page that focuses on basic needs, for example ‘Need suction’ or ‘I’m anxious’, and which can be used across contexts.
‘Speech Therapy’ pageAn AAC page containing messages specifically related to Speech Therapy sessions, for example ‘I want to work on my spelling’.
Text based communication book template
Text-based communication book template(Credit: ACE Centre) - customise, print, laminate and bind to use.
Symbol and photo based AAC should be personalised to the user. Below we have some examples of different symbol and photo-based options.
Visual Scene Example
This is an example of a paper-based version of a Visual Scene Display (e.g. Scene and Heard app). A visual scene display is a picture or photograph which depicts a situation, place or experience with individual elements representing people, actions or objects.
This provides contextual cues and can be particularly useful for people who struggle with symbol recognition or navigation of a communication book with lists of words/symbols. These can be especially useful for people with aphasia or autism.
Communicating in a café - a Visual Scene Display examplePhoto Based Examples
This is an example of a photo-based breakfast choice chart.
Breakfast choice chart - a photo based AAC exampleSymbol Based Examples
This is a simple needs chart without core vocabulary.
Symbol-based needs chartThis is an example of a symbol based communication chart with core vocabulary. Core vocabulary can be used across many situations, it can be combined with the topic based fringe vocabulary. Having a mixture of core and fringe vocabulary increases the amount of communication functions that can be fulfilled e.g. as well as requesting they can comment, question, ask for help etc. Core vocabulary should be consistently placed in the same position in a communication book.
Shopping - topical symbol page with core vocabularyVocabulary Gathering Guide
When developing a symbol or photo based book you may want to use our vocabulary gathering guide.
Vocabulary gathering guideCommunication Passport
There may be times when more information is needed for unfamiliar communication partners. For example, during a hospital admission or respite.
The Communication Passport can give extra, useful information about the individual who uses AAC.
A variety of Communication Passports can be found. Here are some examples that can be printed and written on or customised before printing:
The Widgit Health A&E Communication Passport - available on the Widgit Health website
My health passport - available on the National Autistic Society website
This is me - my care passport - available on the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust website
Communication passport - available on the Stroke Association website
My communication passport - online grids - available on the Smartbox website for people who use Grid 3 software
Communication Cards
A communication card tells people what to do when communicating with you.
Here is some useful advice from Communication Disabilities Access Canada © 2013
Keep your instructions short and simple.
Focus on telling people what you want them to do when communicating with you.
It may be useful to have different cards for different places.
Keep your communication instruction card in a place where you can easily show it to people.
Apps Wheel
Call Scotland have published an AAC apps wheel, which provides a fairly comprehensive overview of communication apps for iPad.
Communication apps and your patient's data - guidance
If you are a therapist requesting a communication app then you need to know how information entered into AAC apps may be stored and used, and the potential third-party involvement in this process. This is because it is your responsibility to inform your patients, in a way that they can understand, and make them aware of any associated risks.
Communication apps and your patient's data - guidanceThis information is for therapists to help support patients with discussions and decisions around voice and message banking.
Voice and message banking guideThere may be support for your patient through a number of charities and associations. These all have their own criteria, they are often means tested and may ask for a range of information. It can take a while for funding to be approved.
Information about alternative funding for AACUsing eye gaze technology
High and Low Tech AAC for a Literate Client with a Slow Degenerative Condition
The patient has Parkinson's disease, which affects his speech. His physical and cognitive abilities, and his literacy are assessed, following which he is tried with three text-based aids.
He is provided with a high-tech aid, and a low-tech aid for days when he is poorly and is unable to access the high-tech aid.
Download the High and Low Tech AAC for a Literate Client with a Slow Degenerative Condition case study informationLow Tech AAC Outcome for a Progressive Condition
The patient has MS, which affects her speech and her ability to cope with cognitive loads. Her physical and cognitive abilities, and her literacy were assessed.
Following assessment, high-tech AAC was recommended against, in favour of a low-tech aid.
Download the Low Tech AAC Outcome for a Progressive Condition case study information