The goal is simple: use symbols and images to help children with disabilities and language difficulties communicate—especially those with limited Italian—during one of the most important moments for their social life: mealtimes, both at school and beyond.
The initiative is called "I'll Order With You," developed by the Vivere Insieme cooperative as part of the municipal Service for School Integration and Out-of-School Social Inclusion for students with disabilities in the Barletta area.
"I'll Order With You" is a placemat created using AAC—Augmentative and Alternative Communication—a method that enables communication through pictures, drawings, and symbols. Five hundred placemats will be printed and distributed, allowing every child to communicate and choose independently what they want to eat. The placemats will be used at school during meal service and at participating restaurants, bars, and cafés that join the program.
Source: Mino Cannito - Mayor of Barletta