AAC Awareness Month:
Every Child Deserves a Way to Communicate
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Briefly: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) gives children additional ways to express their wants, needs, thoughts, and ideas when speech alone does not meet their communication needs. AAC can include gestures, signs, pictures, communication boards, and speech-generating devices.
Every October, we recognize AAC Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing awareness of Augmentative and Alternative Communication and the many ways people communicate beyond spoken words.
At Rogers Bridge Pediatric Therapy, one message is especially important to us:
Every child deserves a voice.
For some children, that voice comes through speech. For others, communication may include gestures, signs, pictures, communication boards, or a speech-generating device.
The goal of AAC isn't simply to give a child a device.
The goal is communication.
What Is AAC?
AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
AAC includes methods of communication that supplement or replace spoken language.
The word augmentative means adding to a person's existing communication. A child may speak but use AAC when their speech isn't sufficient to communicate everything they want to say.
Alternative communication provides another way to communicate when speech is absent or extremely limited.
AAC can include both unaided and aided forms of communication.
Unaided AAC does not require additional equipment and may include:
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Gestures
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Facial expressions
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Body movements
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Manual signs
Aided AAC involves something outside of the person's body and may include:
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Pictures
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Communication boards
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Communication books
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Written words
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Low-tech communication systems
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Speech-generating devices (SGDs)
Some children use one form of AAC, while others communicate using several different methods throughout their day.
AAC Is More Than an iPad
When people hear "AAC," they often picture a child using an iPad with communication symbols.
While it is AAC, it represents only one of many possibilities.
Some individuals benefit from dedicated speech-generating devices. Others may need specialized access methods such as switches, keyguards, or eye gaze.
Finding an appropriate AAC system involves much more than choosing an app.
A speech-language pathologist considers the child's communication abilities, language skills, motor abilities, vision, hearing, access needs, daily environments, communication partners, and future needs.
The best AAC system is the one that allows the individual to communicate effectively.
Want to learn more? Read our guide on what AAC is and how Augmentative and Alternative Communication works.
Who Can Benefit From AAC?
There isn't one particular diagnosis or age requirement for AAC.
AAC may be considered when a person's spoken communication does not adequately meet their communication needs.
Children who use AAC may include children with:
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Autism
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Cerebral palsy
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Down syndrome
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Developmental disabilities
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Genetic conditions
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Neurological conditions
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Significant speech or language disorders
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Motor impairments
Some children use AAC temporarily while spoken communication develops. Others use AAC throughout their lives.
And some people use AAC in addition to speech.
The important question isn't whether a child can say some words.
It's whether the child can reliably communicate what they want and need to communicate.
Myth: AAC Will Prevent My Child From Talking
One of the most common concerns we hear from families is:
"If we give my child AAC, will they stop trying to talk?"
AAC should not be viewed as giving up on speech.
Communication supports can provide a child with another way to express themselves while speech and language skills continue to be supported when appropriate.
Think about it this way: we don't want a child to have to wait for speech before they are allowed to communicate.
A child may have a lot to say even when their mouth cannot yet say it.
AAC Is About More Than Requesting
One of the first things children often learn with AAC is how to request something they want.
"More."
"Snack."
"Ball."
"iPad."
Requesting is important—but communication is much bigger than asking for things.
Children also need opportunities to:
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Protest
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Refuse
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Ask questions
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Answer questions
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Make comments
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Tell stories
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Share opinions
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Express emotions
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Make choices
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Greet people
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Get someone's attention
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Tell someone something is wrong
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Be silly
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Joke
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Participate in conversations
A child shouldn't only have access to words adults think they need.
AAC should give children opportunities to say what they want to say.
These opportunities can extend far beyond therapy. Learn more about how AAC can enhance communication and quality of life.
AAC Isn't Just for Therapy
Communication happens everywhere.
A child may need to communicate with parents at breakfast, a teacher at school, friends on the playground, grandparents at home, a therapist at the clinic, or a cashier at a store.
That means an AAC system needs to be available outside of speech therapy.
If a child relies on AAC to communicate, their communication system should ideally travel with them throughout their day.
Imagine if someone took away your ability to speak whenever you left a particular room.
For an AAC user, leaving a communication device behind can have a similar effect.
AAC should be accessible whenever communication is needed.
What Does an AAC Evaluation Look Like?
An AAC evaluation is not simply showing a child one device and seeing whether they can push the buttons.
The goal is to determine which communication system and access method best meet that individual's needs.
During an AAC evaluation, a speech-language pathologist may consider:
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Current communication methods
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Receptive and expressive language skills
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Speech abilities
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Fine and gross motor abilities
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Vision and hearing
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Ability to directly select symbols
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Symbol size and organization
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Vocabulary needs
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Access methods
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Positioning
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Communication environments
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Family priorities
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Educational needs
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Potential for the system to grow with the child
Different systems may be trialed before a recommendation is made.
For children who cannot reliably select icons with their fingers, other access methods may also be explored, including eye gaze or switch access.
AAC should be individualized to the person using it.
Learn more about AAC evaluations and therapy at Rogers Bridge Pediatric Therapy.
A Therapist's Perspective on AAC Therapy Progress
“One of our favorite things about introducing AAC is watching communication grow in all its forms. We often see children begin using more verbal sounds and words after they have access to AAC. For some children, AAC supports their language development while their speech continues to develop, and they may eventually communicate without needing their device. Other children will continue to use AAC as an important part of how they communicate throughout their lives.
Either way, AAC gives children a way to communicate now. Parents often tell us how much they love getting to hear more of their child’s thoughts, opinions, wants, and personality. AAC isn’t about replacing speech or waiting to see if speech develops. It’s about making sure a child has a way to be heard.”
— Jessie W.
What Is AAC Modeling?
Giving a child access to AAC is only the beginning.
Children also need opportunities to learn how to use it.
One important strategy is AAC modeling, sometimes called aided language input. This means communication partners use the child's AAC system while they are talking.
For example, while saying, "Let's go outside," an adult might select GO on the child's communication system.
The child doesn't have to immediately imitate the selection.
The adult is demonstrating how words can be found and used for meaningful communication.
Children learning spoken language hear thousands and thousands of words before they are expected to use them independently. AAC users also benefit from seeing their language system used by the people around them.
Don't Make AAC a Test
It can be tempting to turn every interaction with an AAC device into a question.
"What color is this?"
"Tell me what you want."
"Where is dog?"
"Say 'more.'"
But communication isn't supposed to feel like a constant quiz.
Instead, create opportunities for genuine interaction.
If you're playing with bubbles, you might model:
MORE. BIG. POP. AGAIN. FUN. STOP.
If you're reading a silly book:
LOOK! FUNNY! WHAT? OH NO!
If a toy suddenly falls:
UH OH!
AAC becomes meaningful when children experience it as a way to interact with other people—not simply a tool for providing the correct answer.
Presume Competence
A person who cannot communicate something verbally may still understand far more than they can express.
Difficulty speaking is not the same as having nothing to say.
AAC gives us another way to help bridge that gap.
That is one of the most important messages of AAC Awareness Month: communication should be accessible.
We can talk to AAC users directly, give them enough time to respond, provide access to their communication systems, model language without demanding imitation, and respect all of the ways they communicate.
Does My Child Need AAC?
There isn't a specific number of words a child must—or must not—have before AAC can be considered.
If your child has difficulty communicating their wants, needs, thoughts, feelings, or ideas using speech alone, an AAC evaluation may be appropriate.
An AAC evaluation does not automatically mean your child will receive a particular device. It provides an opportunity to explore communication options and determine what supports may help your child communicate more effectively.
AAC Evaluations and Speech Therapy in Lawrenceville, GA
At Rogers Bridge Pediatric Therapy, our speech-language pathologists work with children with a wide variety of communication needs, including children who benefit from Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
AAC services may include evaluation, trials of different communication systems, speech-generating devices, alternative access methods such as eye gaze, caregiver education, AAC implementation, and ongoing speech and language therapy.
We also believe families and caregivers are an essential part of successful AAC use. Communication doesn't stop when a therapy session ends.
This October, during AAC Awareness Month, we encourage families, educators, therapists, and community members to remember:
A voice doesn't have to sound like speech.
Every child deserves a reliable way to communicate, to be heard, and to participate in the world around them.
If you have questions about whether AAC may be appropriate for your child, contact Rogers Bridge Pediatric Therapy in Lawrenceville, Georgia to learn more about AAC evaluations and pediatric speech therapy.
Our speech-language pathologists support children with a variety of communication needs, including children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).