By focusing on core words and making them a communication priority, AAC users are able to participate in meaningful exchanges using many of the same words their peers are using. Rather than relying on pre-programmed phrases such as "I want" or "I see", they are able to use core words to create many phrases that can be used in a number of contexts using a relatively small set of words. Core words are a powerful way to communicate flexibly and effectively about a variety of topics. Fringe words, on the other hand, may be specific to just a few activities or contexts and are not able to be used across communication opportunities. 

Core words give our AAC users more opportunities to communicate about what they want and how they want to.