What Is AAC?

AAC means all of the ways that someone communicates besides talking. People of all ages can use AAC if they have trouble with speech or language skills. Augmentative means to add to someone’s speech. Alternative means to be used instead of speech. Some people use AAC throughout their life. Others may use AAC only for a short time, like when they have surgery and can’t talk.

There are a lot of different types of AAC. No-tech and low-tech options include things like

• gestures and facial expressions,

• writing,

• drawing,

• spelling words by pointing to letters, and

• pointing to photos, pictures, or written words.

High-tech options include things like

• using an app on an iPad or tablet to communicate and

• using a computer with a “voice," sometimes called a speech-generating device.

A person may use different types of AAC because there are many ways that we all communicate. An AAC system means all of the tools of this type that a person uses.