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AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Augmentative means to add to someone's speech. Alternative means to be used instead of verbal speech. AAC incorporates any support and/or alternative forms of verbal speech that we can use to communicate. AAC can include gestures/facial expressions, sign language, speech-generating devices, picture boards, communication books, written communication, and more!Anybody (speaking or non-speaking) who has difficulty communicating everything they want/think, participating in conversation, and/or accessing their education can benefit from AAC support. Individuals of all ages (children, teenagers, adults, etc.) who experience severe speech/language challenges may need to find other ways (besides talking) to communicate.
- Download the Communication Bill of Rights Poster
- National Joint Committee for the Communication Needs of Persons With Severe Disabilities (NJC) Communication Bill of Rights
"Research shows that AAC helps people of all ages (even those younger than 3 years old)! You can use AAC early. There are no thinking skills, test scores, or other milestones that you need to reach before AAC can help." - American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA)
"A lot of people wonder if using AAC will stop someone from talking or will slow down language development. This is not true—research shows that AAC can actually help with these concerns! People who use AAC can also learn how to read and write." -American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA)
Resources - English
- Assistiveware
- Low-Tech Communication Board
Resources - Spanish
- Assistiveware
- Facebook - Comunidad hispanohablante de AssistiveWare
- Bilingueaac
- Tablero de comunicación de baja tecnología
Videos
These videos provide an overview of what AAC is / how we can use it with our students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqeAipcciVQ
Getting Started with AAC