In partnership with the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University and The Mayor’s Office on People with Disabilities, Philadelphia Department of Public Health is pleased to announce the release of a new Communication Board. This Communication Board is part of a broader effort to ensure accessibility in public health programming.

The Board is intended to be used when spoken English may not be effective. It can be utilized in acute and/or crisis situations and should not be used to replace American Sign Language (ASL) and other non-English VRI or interpretation services.

The user can point to pictures of many common objects, important words (such as “yes”, “no”, and “stop”), some important phrases, and a small letter “keyboard”. The Board also has a diagram of a body that allows the user to identify areas of concern or pain that they may be experiencing.

The Board could be included in an emergency kit or go bag for a family where the family has somebody who’s non-speaking or can’t speak intelligibly. It is available in English and Spanish.

The board can be accessed and downloaded here: https://techowlpa.org/eprep/ under Tools and Resources for Personal Emergency Preparedness. For an overview how to use the board, best practices, and tips on how to make it even more accessible, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_nmjel8X3M.

Questions about the board and its use may be directed to the Temple Institute on Disabilities via email at techowl@temple.edu or phone at 800-204-7428.