The project "Teaching approaches in communication for learning, for students with severe articulation difficulties or non-verbal (in the mild , moderate,severe range of learning ability)-How to improve practice through shared experience, expertise and research." arises out of the needs and difficulties of a section of students identified in each of the 4 applicant schools. This group of students have complex needs in the areas of AAC(Alternative Augmentative communication) devices, specialised and specific teaching approaches, Literacy and numeracy, social and emotional communication. the project has 4 partner schools who have a similar cohort of students but each with various degrees of co-morbidity and assessed conditions (physical, visual and hearing impaired, sensory difficulties, ASD, specific learning difficulties) This project aims to improve these students communicative access, learning abilities, skills in the use of AAC devices, and social opportunities. The project will involve parents, staff, therapists and the students themselves in contributing their accounts of current practice, in expressing experienced difficulties, learning of other schools practice and incorporating the best approaches from each into their schools. The project will establish a body of new knowledge from researching the most up to date teaching approaches and technological supports available, collating same, access training where necessary and putting into practice. The project will draw outside agencies and teacher training bodies into the projects activities as it moves forward in year 2. The project has 4 partner schools from Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Each school has extensive experience and staffs of SENs teachers, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy. These are special schools which support inclusion through supporting all students to realise their potential in whatever educational setting is most appropriate to their needs, at any given point in their learning lives. The cohort of students whom the project focuses on are students who have the greatest challenge of all, difficulty in communication. Each school has at least a third of their students fall into this category. This difficulty poises challenges not only for the students but for their parents and challenges schools to offer the best possible supports. As much as schools already do, there is only so much time in the school day and this project aims to provide a space, forum and focus for schools, teachers, therapy staff, support staff, parents and the students themselves to address limitations in current practice and provide models of practice which will address the primary communication and learning needs of students with articulation difficulties and who are non verbal "Communication of needs and events,Information transfer, social closeness (being cited most important for AAC users) and social etiquette" Light (1988),Beulelmar and Mirenda(1988). This project can update, inform and develop more supportive and innovative resources, approaches , devices and methodologies. The project will give a predominance to these students. It will improve access, training, motivation, and attainment levels amongst this student body. The project will provide students and parents with "a voice" in their educational provision. The number of students supported will be 80+ however the projects aims and objectives when achieved will be of importance and benefit to all special schools in the jurisdictions but also throughout the European school community. Project activities include, Coordination, planning and progress meetings of central team from 4 schools. Transnational school staff learning, training and observational exchanges. Student and parent forums with communication activity based workshops. Formation of research teams from each schools studying and collating current research and practice in 4 areas-Communication for learning, AAC device advances-Literacy development and social networking and skills. Incorporation of practices currently in schools between schools and introduction of new research results, devices and practices with training where necessary being provided. Conference at project end incorporating teacher trining and Special education departments and agencies from each schools jurisdiction. Creation of tangible outputs available for dissemination during and after project. Methodologies include direct experience and observation/designated studies by individual schools/questionaires and surveys/ formal and informal assessments/attitudional studies/creation and collation of data (use for Masters and Phd, further studies). Exchanges and forums, publications. Description of results- direct benefits in communication and learning for target group of students/upskilling and training of teachers, therapists and support staff/empowerment and forum for dialogue for parents/creation of innovative educational materials.