"Hands Can Talk" is all about sign language.
Helping everyday Australian families and carers enhance communication by learning sign language.

"Hands Can Talk" was established in 1995 and came about as a result of Aileen meeting so many parents and professionals who needed to learn basic sign language to help them communicate with children and adults who had speech and/or developmental delay.

Having gone in to teach the preschool staff where her daughter, Elysha, was going, how to sign, life became much easier for Elysha and the staff at the centre. Aileen also found that demand increased for her teaching style which was both relaxed and effective. Because of the need for small amounts of sign language rather than studying for years Aileen's business has grown to include many different types of workshops.

Aileen became involved with Makaton Australia by training to become a Makaton Presenter and being involved on the Makaton Resource Committee with the aim towards increasing awareness of this great way of communicating.

By raising awareness children like Elysha, have a much better chance of being accepted in the general community. One of the great things that Aileen has discovered is that people everywhere love to watch and understand more about sign language so her classes often have people coming along who just want to learn a little and understand more. By using sign language in the general community people are making it possible for children/adults with speech and/or developmental delay to communicate and feel part of the wider community.

In 2000 parents both here and overseas started to take an interest in using a gesture or sign system to get babies "talking" to get their needs and wants across. Aileen had used sign language with both her twins so successfully that she decided to start teaching Baby to Toddler Sign Language Workshops in 2002. Demand has increased rapidly with parents enjoying the benefits of sign language used together with spoken language.

Aileen has also been producing and working with other organisations to produce resources that are relevant to Australians.

"Hands Can Talk" focuses mainly on children and signing.

• Workshops cover a small amount of sign language, each one tailored to meet specific areas.
  
• Simple, everyday, EASY TO LEARN signs for everyday Australians.
  
• Talks about the Special Needs areas.
  
• Teaches Baby to toddler signing, the why's and how's.
  
• Uses Auslan sign language with the Key Sign concept. (Which basically means using the sign language of the deaf community but always with voice and only signing the most relevant words.)

• HANDS CAN TALK ARE CURRENTLY HAVING A NEW WEB SITE DESIGNED THAT WILL HAVE SECURE ON-LINE PAYMENTS AS WELL AS SOME GREAT NEW FEATURES.
• THIS WEB SITE WILL BE UP AND RUNNING TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER - PLEASE COME BACK AND HAVE A LOOK.