AAC at school

AAC systems

All students who are not talking, or who need visual language support, can use a CORE board to support their language at school. If a CORE board is not a good fit, some students use an ipad with the TouchChat app or other communication devices to support their language needs. All forms of AAC are supported in Edmonds, based on the individual needs of the student.

AAC modeling at school

The most important way we support AAC learning at school is by training our teachers and para-educators to use AAC modeling with students who are learning AAC. AAC modeling helps students to learn language in a natural way, similar to how typically developing children learn language by listening to speakers around them. Training for AAC modeling is available to classroom teams, as well as to interested parents or community groups.

AAC therapy

Language therapy, provided by a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), helps students learn to use AAC. Students who are learning AAC may have language therapy services on their IEPs, with goals to expand language using AAC. AAC goals may be included under language skills, adaptive skills, social skills, reading/writing skills, or in any area where communication is important.

AAC Accommodations

Students who use AAC often have accommodations written into their IEPs or 504 plans to make sure they have what they need. Having their AAC system within reach and training classroom staff for how to model AAC are two of the most common AAC accommodations for our students. Talk with your IEP team to figure out which accommodations your student needs.

AAC IEP parent resources

• How I Do It: Setting up an AAC implementation plan (PrAACtical AAC blog)

• IEP Parent Input form (Teachers Pay Teachers)