WHAT IS AAC?

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) includes all forms of communication other than natural speech that are used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas. (ASHA, 2011)

Augmentative communication is used to supplement or support existing skills. For example, a student who has significant difficulty producing speech sounds may use AAC to help people understand some of their speech. Additionally, a student may be able to access natural speech in some scenarios but may have more difficulty when under significant stress and may use AAC to augment their communication in those scenarios. Augmentative communication is often used to help repair communication breakdowns, or used as a temporary bridge through developmental stages.

Alternative communication is used as a substitute for natural speech. Individuals who do not have any natural speech may use alternative communication instead.

Whether it is used for agumentative or alternative communication, there are many different types of AAC.

No-tech and low-tech options include:

gestures and facial expressions
writing
drawing
spelling words by pointing to letters
picture exchange
pointing to photos, pictures, or written words

High-tech options include:

using an app on an iPad or tablet to communicate
using a computer with a “voice," often called a speech-generating device

But does it make them not want to use natural speech?

A common misconception is that AAC will stop someone from learning to speak because they have something speaking "for them". However, research shows that the use of AAC has a positive impact on speech and language development in individuals who have the ability to use natural speech. Anecdotally, we have found that hearing consistent models of speech and language from their device increases imitation of words and phrases in preschoolers.

Check out the resources on this page for more information!

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