Mapo-gu Installs Communication Drawing Boards for Disabled at COVID-19 Screening Clinics

Selected Screening Clinic Waiting, Registration, and Testing Procedures Included in Communication Picture Board... Expected to Assist Non-Disabled and Foreign Patients Experiencing Temporary Communication Difficulties Due to Mask Wearing

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Mapo-gu (Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) has created and placed an ‘AAC Communication Aid Picture Board’ at the Mapo-gu Public Health Center’s screening clinic to help people with disabilities communicate smoothly with medical staff regarding COVID-19.

AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) refers to various forms of communication other than spoken language used to reduce difficulties for individuals who cannot communicate independently through speech or writing and to promote language abilities.

The district has installed the ‘Communication Aid Picture Board’ (hereafter ‘Picture Board’) using AAC in public institutions throughout the area, including local community centers, public health centers, police substations, and welfare facilities, and has operated AAC zones to facilitate smooth communication with people with disabilities.

The Picture Board created for the screening clinic this time was finalized by supplementing the existing Picture Board installed at the public health center based on expert feedback and interviews with the screening clinic staff.

The Picture Board includes content about the screening clinic procedures such as waiting, registration, and examination rooms, enabling individuals with hearing, developmental, or brain lesion disabilities who have difficulty communicating to easily interact with medical staff.

Additionally, the Picture Board is expected to facilitate more accurate consultations and treatments by aiding communication between non-disabled visitors and medical staff, whose voices are muffled by mask-wearing, as well as between foreigners not proficient in Korean and medical staff.

Before placing the Picture Board in the screening clinic, the district completed thorough preparations by providing prior training and manuals to staff and medical personnel to enhance understanding of the Picture Board and appropriately respond to visitors in various situations, including those with disabilities.

Furthermore, an English version of the Picture Board is currently being produced and is expected to be placed soon in the screening clinic to enable smooth guidance for foreigners as well.

Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “I hope the ‘AAC Picture Board,’ which contains information from guidance at the Mapo-gu screening clinic to the workflow within the clinic, will be helpful to people with disabilities who visit the screening clinic with difficulty. We will continue to explore various measures to provide even small administrative conveniences to many people going through difficult times due to COVID-19.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.