AAC FAQs

Questions and Answers:

1. How do I fix a frozen AAC device?

Check out this quick video for help: How to Fix a Frozen AAC Device.

2. What if the AAC user won’t stop “playing” with their device? Or what if they just keep pushing all the buttons?

Play is a normal, expected, even necessary part of learning for children! I think as adults we sometimes forget that for children, play IS learning. Please never remove an AAC device just because the user is having fun with it! Kids have been known to "play" with their natural voices too, for example by saying silly words or making funny noises. Instead of removing the device, respond to what they said on the device as if they said it verbally. My personal style is to respond playfully ("Oh, you silly goose!") but there may be times when you have to respond more firmly ("Shhh" or "Time for work now"). Another option could be to show them how to use a "whisper" voice (low volume, or low tech) so they can keep talking, but without disrupting their class.

3. What if the AAC user isn’t paying attention or repeating after me when I model?

We don't need AAC users to be parrots! It's okay if they aren't repeating immediately after you. Natural conversations don't really work like that, so please avoid the temptation to prompt them with what to say. Instead, think about providing "aided language input". You're just showing them things they COULD say, not things they MUST or SHOULD say.

Also, know that sometimes it may seem like they're not paying attention visually, but they may be hearing you anyway. Be patient. Learning to use an AAC device takes a long time! Just like learning a spoken language (which takes years, even if you don't have a disability making it difficult for you.)

I know it may seem like the aided language input and modeling isn't working at first. I'm always tempted to say, "trust me, it will!" because I've seen it happen so many times. But instead, what I know I should be saying is, trust the evidence for aided language input.

Tip: For a detailed discussion of this, please see my training on How to Achieve Authentic Communication with AAC Users.

4. Can we please take away some of these words on this high tech device? It just seems visually overwhelming, and I can’t find anything on it.

... Just kidding! But that's what I feel like my face looks like when people ask me this question. And if so, I'm sorry! Here's a real answer, and it's long and a little complicated, which is why I might look like grumpy cat while trying to think of how to answer you...

Every time I test a child to determine the best "fit" of an AAC device for them, I look at (1) what is the smallest size of icon they can see and touch, (2) how much information can they visually attend to on one page, and (3) how much vocabulary are they going to need to be able to function in daily life, among other things that are important but less relevant to this particular question.
We want the smallest possible icons, and the largest number of icons per page. Why? Because this means (a) exponentially more vocabulary overall and (b) many less folders to scroll through. The less folders there are, the lower the demand on the user's memory (and patience!), and also the faster they will be able to use the device to form whole sentences.
Almost every time I test a child for a high-tech AAC device, I will first offer them a version of the device with "masking" applied. This means they will probably only see about 10-15 words on it at first. When they have success with that, I add more. So by the time you see it, there's probably a lot more than those first ten words.
If the device seems visually overwhelming to you, it's probably because you're not familiar with it! But every high-tech AAC device has color-coding, folders, and a "search for a word" feature that you can learn to use, and that will make you feel more comfortable with it. Let's meet, and talk, so the device doesn't look so scary to you. Send me an email!
- Tip: To make it easier for you to find the words on a child device, and feel less visually overwhelmed by it yourself, please see my trainings on high tech devices including Proloquo2go, TouchChat, and LAMP Words for Life.
Finally, the reason I give kids so many words on their AAC devices is because I believe in their ability to learn them. Not because I have faith, but because I have data on the specific child, and evidence from research and practice to show me that more words are better, and that robust, well-organized vocabularies are better.

5. Will learning to use AAC cause a child's speech to be delayed?

No. This is a very common fear, but I always tell parents, don't worry! There is lots of research to show that AAC improves overall communication skills, and does not delay a child's speech. Actually, I've seen at least half a dozen cases in the last two years alone in Castro Valley where shortly after introducing an AAC device, the child started talking for the first time! Something about learning AAC seemed to "unlock" their communication skills, and they began verbalizing.

Why does this happen? We don't know exactly, but here are a few factors that might play into it:

We know that it's always faster and easier to speak than to go get and use an external object to communicate. Think about it: you always have your voice with you, but do you always have your laptop? No, you'd have to go get it if you wanted to use it to type something. So as soon as the child can verbalize a particular word or phrase, they will, because it's easier! If they can't, or are struggling with it, they will probably go to their AAC.
We know that learning to use AAC mirrors the way children learn to use verbal language. Starting from the very basics of teaching a child to communicate using core vocabulary, and making that interaction fun and motivating, might give the child the support they needed to use verbal language for the first time, too.
We know that the visual language of AAC can be very powerful, especially for children with Autism who have a relative strength in visual vs. auditory processing. It may be that something about seeing language symbols helps them begin to associate sound with meaning. Or it could be that hearing single words repeated the same way each time (i.e. by the text-to-speech voice, which doesn't vary as much as a human voice) makes them more accessible to the child, and therefore easier to imitated.

6. How do I work with a child who is partly verbal, and also has AAC? (i.e. they have an "Augmentative" not "Alternative" AAC device) Do I prompt them to answer me verbally, with their AAC... both...?

This question actually captures many questions in one, and my answer to it got really, really long. So in the video below, I talk about what to know about "partly verbal" kids, what to do, and what not to do. By the end you'll know exactly how to prompt these kids during any academic activity. I also go over different possible scenarios that people have posed to me. Got another scenario? Email me!

Partly-Verbal-Kids-Augmentative-AAC.webm

7. What about children who use their device to stim?

Laura Hayes gave an amazing presentation at AAC in the Cloud 2021, and developed an entire website of resources on this topic. If you think your child/student is using their device to stim, please ask me to come in and observe, because it's important to pick apart: is this behavior that we see really stimming? Sometimes it's actually babble (see answer #1 above for what to do). Sometimes it's a child repeating the same word many times because they are exploring. If that's the case we may need to redesign our activities to make them more motivating, have a strategy to redirect the child, and/or program the device so the child has an opportunity to learn that they will get the same immediate, natural response from us if they only press the word once. If the child really is using their device for sensory stimulation, then we may need to bring in our OT and ask about how we can support their sensory integration. Everyone stims sometimes (Have you ever found yourself fidgeting during a boring meeting? That's stimming!), and it's important that our AAC users have options to stim that are less likely to interfere with their communication.

8. When should we stop using AAC with a particular student?

This is an individualized decision, but I like to follow two rules of thumb: (1) Be quick to give AAC and slow to take it away, and (2) If the child/person can tell you verbally and intelligibly that they don't think they need AAC and they prefer speaking, then they're ready. Please note that we don't stop using AAC the moment someone says their first words, or starts imitating speech. There's a lot more to communication than single words, and we need to make sure they have a way to create spontaneous, novel sentences, for a variety of purposes. Please note also that we definitely don't stop using it just because someone hasn't learned to use their AAC yet. They may need more time, or different strategies, but we don't give up on any student. All human beings have a right to communication, and as we say in CVUSD, All means All!

9. What if my student is not using their AAC device?

When someone asks me this question, I typically start by reassuring them that in the first year of using a new device, it's very normal for kids to not use the device spontaneously or productively. Typical kids need a whole year of modeling (i.e. listening to their first language) before they say their first word! So we have to offer our AAC users a whole year of modeling in their new "language" of AAC, too. On top of that, they also need ongoing modeling to maintain the motivation and skills to continue using it. This is similar to what happens when someone learns a language in high school, but then doesn't continue using it as an adult - typically it doesn't take long before they forget it.

So if someone says, "he's not using it," often I will ask, "Are you using it?" because if not, we have to start there! And if the adults around the student are using the AAC, then it's important we make sure they are using it correctly! Are they prompting, or modeling? It's important for everyone to be modeling without expectations, because over-prompting is the other most common reason why a student won't be using their device (i.e. they don't want to be told what to say!). For lots more about this, please see the Authentic Communication video.

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