There’s No Perfect Look2Talk Stand … and That’s Good News!

Tina Voizey, Information and Resources Manager, sat down the Gabi Peel, AAC Consultant and Look 2 Talk training instructor, to discuss ideas and considerations for sourcing stands for Look2Talk eye pointing books.

When we learned that the communication easels many people used with Look2Talk were no longer being manufactured, our first reaction was disappointment. They had become a familiar part of many people’s Look2Talk journey and provided a simple, ready-made way to display a communication folder. But after talking it through, we realised something important.

The easel was never the communication solution. The person was. And perhaps the end of one product gives us an opportunity to focus on what has always mattered most: finding a setup that works for the individual in front of us.

“Although that easel was great, it might not have worked for certain individuals. This gives people the flexibility to find a solution that’s individualised to the person.”

Start with the Individual, Not the Stand

It can be tempting to start by asking, “What stand do I need for a Look2Talk folder?” A better question might be: “What does this person need in order to communicate successfully?”

Every person who uses Look2Talk is different. One learner may spend most of their day at a desk. Another may use their folder while sitting in a wheelchair. Someone else may need a setup that works while sitting on a parent’s lap, using a standing frame, or moving between different environments throughout the day.

Rather than searching for the “official” Look2Talk stand, it can be helpful to investigate:

• Where communication will happen
• Who will be supporting communication
• How the communication partner will see the person’s eyes
• Whether the folder needs to be portable
• How large or heavy the folder is likely to become over time
• Whether the setup may need to change as skills develop
• The answers to those questions often point us towards the right solution.
• “What’s the best way to support somebody to communicate with their eyes?”

One Solution Doesn’t Have to Do Everything

The best AAC systems are ones that are flexible and that are comprised of different elements, providing a communication toolkit.  We shouldn’t expect a single communication system to work perfectly in every situation, and folder stands are no different.

A stand that works brilliantly in a classroom might be impractical at the swimming pool. Something that supports early assessment and exploration may be unnecessary once eye-pointing skills are well established.  Instead of searching for one perfect answer, it can be helpful to think about creating a toolkit of options.

“Communication isn’t in a vacuum where it’s just that I can only read your eyes when you’re in that one perfect position.”

Ideas Worth Exploring

The good news is that there are lots of possibilities, all of which do not need specialist equipment but can be created by items found on most internet marketplaces or stationery or houseware store. Here are a few idea:

Presentation Folders

Presentation-style display folders can often be adapted to work in a similar way to traditional communication easels. Pages can be displayed at the front while unused pages fold neatly behind. Some may benefit from additional reinforcement if the folder becomes large or heavy.

Music Stands

Music stands are another option worth investigating, particularly in educational settings. Some include page-retaining arms that can help keep materials in place while still allowing quick page turns.

Portable Easels

Portable easels for painting are worth exploring if a Look2Talk folder needs to move between different environments. Lightweight tabletop easels and folding display stands can be easy to transport and set up, making them useful for across settings.

Cookbook Stands

Cookbook stands are designed to hold large, heavy books and may provide a useful starting point for some people. Depending on the folder design, reinforcing the front and back covers may help improve stability and prevent pages from sagging or slipping.

Laptop Riser 

A laptop riser can make an effective because it is designed to hold items at an angled viewing position while remaining stable on a table or desk. Many laptop risers are also adjustable, allowing the folder to be positioned at a height and angle that supports both comfortable eye-pointing and the communication partner’s ability to read eye gaze

Practical Tips

Several of the ideas we discussed came back to the same principle: creating a strong, rigid front or back cover to reinforce the book to stand up so it would be accessible for eye pointing. Whether this is made from thick card, board, a ring binder cover or another material, a sturdy foundation can dramatically improve how well a folder sits on a stand.

Another consideration if how to bind the Look2Talk book. Ring binders, binder rings, treasury tags and cable ties can all work successfully, depending on the size of the book and how it will be used. The most important consideration is choosing a method that allows pages to turn easily while keeping the book sturdy enough to sit securely on the chosen stand or display system.

Sometimes the Most Effective Solutions Are the Most Creative

One of our favourite examples came from a team supporting a young child who was using Look2Talk while sitting on their mum’s lap. The challenge was simple: if the child was sitting on mum’s lap, how could mum see their eye-pointing clearly? The answer was unexpectedly ingenious.

A mirror was added into the centre of cardboard that was placed behind the book and a viewing window cut out on each page so the mirror could be seen. This allowed mum to observe the child’s eye movements while remaining in a comfortable position behind them. Would that solution work for everyone? Of course not. But that’s exactly the point!

The design emerged from understanding one person’s specific needs and finding a creative way to meet them.

The cut-out viewing window also allowed them to use it when face to face, inspired by an E-Tran frame setup. This supported the child using Look2Talk when she wasn’t sitting on her mother’s lap whilst developing her eye pointing skills.

A Helpful Reminder About Look2Talk

Sometimes people discover Look2Talk and assume it comes with a prescribed setup: a specific folder, stand or sequence of steps. But that has never been the intention. Look2Talk is designed to be personalised and adapted, with the guide offering principles, ideas and examples to support problem-solving rather than replace it.

“It’s not a menu. It’s not a recipe that you have to follow step by step.”

The same applies to stands and displays. There is no perfect stand, only the stand that best supports communication for that individual in their everyday environments. Whether that’s a music stand, a cookbook stand, a reinforced folder, a mirror adaptation or a homemade solution, the right answer is the one that helps communication happen successfully. As one practitioner put it:

“There’s no right or wrong way to set up Look2Talk. It is problem-solving alongside the individual and the situations they’re in.”

Share What Works

One thing we know for certain is that the most innovative ideas often come from families, practitioners and communication partners who are solving real-world challenges every day.

If you’ve discovered a stand, adaptation or setup that works particularly well, we’d love to hear about it. Your idea could help another person find the solution that works for them.

Because if this conversation has taught us anything, it’s that the future of Look2Talk won’t be one size fits all. It will be lots of creative solutions, designed around the people who use them.

Whether you’re just getting started with Look2Talk, trying to find the right setup for an individual, or have discovered a creative solution you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch with our Advice Line team on 0800 080 3115 (option 2) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 13:00–17:00, or email advice@acecentre.org.uk. Your questions, experiences and innovations help us all learn more about supporting successful communication.