Tom McDonald

Senior AT Consultant

Our Communication Specialist, Tom, is a qualified SEND teacher specialising in using AT to support early communication. He uses Makaton to support his son with cerebral palsy.

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Recent Posts

Bridging the Gap: Why the Human Element in Assistive Technology Training Matters

Last month, I attended Rohan Slaughter’s presentation at Communication Works in Oldham, and I left thinking not just about devices, frameworks or systems, but about people. His presentation on the new AT competency framework reminded me of something I see time and time again in schools across the country: assistive technology succeeds or fails on the strength of the humans behind it. As an assistive technology specialist visiting mainstream and specialist settings up and down England, I see a b

Tom McDonald

6/3/2025·2 min read

The Medium is the Message: AAC and the Power of How We Communicate

Marshall McLuhan’s famous phrase “the medium is the message” suggests that the way we communicate shapes meaning just as much as what we say. This idea is highly relevant in the field of AAC, where the tools and methods used for communication influence not only the message but also how it is received and understood by others. My background in Culture, Media, and Communication has given me a particular interest in how different forms of communication shape our interactions and perceptions. AAC

Tom McDonald

3/13/2025·4 min read

A joke is a very serious thing

Winston Churchill once said, 'A joke is a very serious thing'. We need jokes in our lives and humour can be a powerful way to connect with people. Sharing a smile or a laugh can bring us closer and bridge divides. I've been assisting AAC users in expressing themselves through the Super Core 50 communication package in Grid. When teaching children to use their AAC devices, we often focus too much on academic outcomes, such as sentence structure and vocabulary. To support AAC awareness month this

Tom McDonald

10/9/2024·2 min read