This is the Clearinghouse for AAC Agreements. AAC Agreements are "better" practices that are crowd sourced from stakeholders invested in improving consideration, selection, and implementation of AAC. Stakeholders include (but are not limited to) practitioners, academics, designers, parents, families, and users of AAC. These agreements are supported by research whenever possible. The AAC Agreements are organic and will expand and adapt as we learn more as a field.

Please fill out this form to submit a new agreement for consideration by the AAC Agreements Committee.

Please fill out this form to submit additional research on an already existing AAC Agreement for review by the Committee.

Index of All AAC Agreements

AAC Agreements Supported By Research and Practice

1. The student should have access to their communication system even while engaging in academic or leisure activities.
2. Everyone is a multi-modal communicator. A communication system should include multiple modalities.
3. There should always be a light tech option as part of an AAC system.
4. Motor planning is an important consideration of an organizational structure of an AAC system.
5. The communication system should allow for multiple pragmatic functions.
6. Core vocabulary should be taught.
7. Modeling (aided language stimulation) all day, every day is desired in AAC, with no requirement of a response.
8. Modeling should allow for growth in the individual's communication.
9. Modeling should be used to facilitate growth in communication.
10. Accept any mode of communication as valid, as long as your communication partner understands what it means. Don't require individuals to repeat themselves in another modality. Do model the response in the modality you are trying to teach.

AAC Agreements Supported By Practice (Research Pending)

1. The AAC system should always be immediately accessible to the user.
2. The AAC system should never be removed for disciplinary reasons.
3. A single switch or sequenced switch device is appropriate to use as a component of a multi-modal communication system.
4. Allow the student to participate in a natural conversation at their communication level.
5. Repetition with moderate differences is important to avoid habituation.
6. Stakeholders who work with AAC users have a responsibility to teach community members how to be good communication partners.
7. A good communication partner responds.
8. Opportunities for inclusion are necessary because they lead to authentic communication.
9. A good communication partner allows time for a response.
10. All people who use AAC should have opportunities for meaningful interactions with everyone.
11. Inclusion is not a privilege it is a right.
12. The AAC system should be integrated into literacy instruction.