A letter board may refer to two devices.

Marquee

A letter board or letter sign, also known as marquee, is a customizable form of

signage Signage is the design or use of signs and symbols to communicate a message. A signage also means signs ''collectively'' or being considered as a group. The term ''signage'' is documented to have been popularized in 1975 to 1980. Signs are any ...

that employs individually movable

letters of the alphabet A letter is a segmental symbol of a phonemic writing system. The inventory of all letters forms an alphabet. Letters broadly correspond to phonemes in the spoken form of the language, although there is rarely a consistent and exact correspondenc ...

. They are used by, ''e.g.'',

movie theater A movie theater (American English), cinema (British English), or cinema hall ( Indian English), also known as a movie house, picture house, the movies, the pictures, picture theater, the silver screen, the big screen, or simply theater is a ...

s to list the current roster of films, churches to display the titles of

sermon A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. ...

s, and other buildings, people, and institutions whose signs are required to change on a regular basis.

Communication Board

A letter board, or communication board, refers to a device used to supplement verbal communication. Communication boards can be as basic as letters of the alphabet or contain extensive options of words, phrases, pictures, and symbols of common items or actions. These boards are multimodal and may be digital or analog. Individuals with speech and language impairments or non-verbal communicators may use communication boards depending on their degree of gross motor skills.

Augmentative and alternative communication Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) encompasses the communication methods used to supplement or replace speech or writing for those with impairments in the production or comprehension of spoken or written language. AAC is used by t ...

(AAC) aids are utilized by individuals who experience congenital disabilities, such as

autism spectrum disorder The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...

cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles, and tremors. There may be problems with sens ...

developmental disabilities Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, espe ...

intellectual disabilities Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability in the United Kingdom and formerly mental retardation,Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010). is a generalized neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by signifi ...

, developmental apraxia of speech and

genetic disorder A genetic disorder is a health problem caused by one or more abnormalities in the genome. It can be caused by a mutation in a single gene (monogenic) or multiple genes (polygenic) or by a chromosomal abnormality. Although polygenic disorders ...

s, and acquired disabilities, including

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that results in the progressive loss of motor neurons that control voluntary muscles. ALS is the most commo ...

cerebrovascular disease Cerebrovascular disease includes a variety of medical conditions that affect the blood vessels of the brain and the cerebral circulation. Arteries supplying oxygen and nutrients to the brain are often damaged or deformed in these disorders. Th ...

, glossectomy,

laryngectomy Laryngectomy is the removal of the larynx and separation of the airway from the mouth, nose and esophagus. In a total laryngectomy, the entire larynx is removed (including the vocal folds, hyoid bone, epiglottis, thyroid and cricoid cartilage and ...

primary progressive aphasia Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a type of neurological syndrome in which language capabilities slowly and progressively become impaired. As with other types of aphasia, the symptoms that accompany PPA depend on what parts of the left hemisph ...

supranuclear palsy Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a late-onset degenerative disease involving the gradual deterioration and death of specific volumes of the brain. The condition leads to symptoms including loss of balance, slowing of movement, difficult ...

, and

traumatic brain injuries A traumatic brain injury (TBI), also known as an intracranial injury, is an injury to the brain caused by an external force. TBI can be classified based on severity (ranging from mild traumatic brain injury TBI/concussionto severe traumatic ...

Forms of Communication Aid

AAC can be divided into different categories, but are most commonly categorized as unaided or aided. These forms of communication can also be analog or digital.

Unaided

Unaided forms of augmented communication do not require any external tools or aid to communicate. This form of AAC requires fine motor skills. When a person uses unaided AAC they are relying solely on their body to communicate. These are non-technological forms of expression, such as facial expressions, body language, and facial gestures.

Sign language Sign languages (also known as signed languages) are languages that use the visual-manual modality to convey meaning, instead of spoken words. Sign languages are expressed through manual articulation in combination with non-manual markers. Sign ...

is the primary example of unaided AAC.

Aided

Aided forms of augmented communication require some external tools or aid in order to communicate, either analog or digital.

Digital Communication Aid

Digital or high-tech communication devices come in a variety of forms. With the rise of technology, more applications are being produced to assist individuals in need of AAC. Speech generating devices (SGD) are among the most popular variation of high-tech communication devices. AAC and SGD software allow different forms of synthesized and digitized speech to be used through voice or message banking. Such applications are available on smartphones, tablets, and computers. Other high-tech AAC works as a grid of buttons that can be utilized by gazing or controlled by a mouse that has pre-recorded messages installed to supplement spoken word.

Analog Communication Aid

Analog or low-tech communication devices are common among children with

who are non-verbal. These communication aids can be as simple as a yes/no board or a laminated piece of paper with the alphabet or pictures. Most boards are used by pointing, gesturing, or gazing at the intended symbol, word or phrase. Some require the person to spell out words. Other forms include books, photographs, writing and objects.

Notes

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