Communication & AAC

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) refers to the many ways people communicate when speech alone does not fully meet their needs. AAC can support people who are not able to speak, whose speech is difficult to understand, or whose speech is unreliable in some situations. AAC is used across the lifespan by children and adults with a wide range of conditions. This page is a general educational overview and is not a substitute for an individualized evaluation by a qualified professional such as a speech-language pathologist.

WHAT AAC INCLUDES

AAC is often described along a range from no-tech to high-tech. No-tech AAC uses the body and does not require any equipment, including gestures, facial expressions, pointing, and sign. Low-tech AAC uses simple, non-electronic materials such as communication boards, picture cards, alphabet boards, and communication books. High-tech AAC uses electronic devices and apps, including speech-generating devices and communication apps that produce spoken output. Most communicators use a combination of methods depending on the situation, sometimes called a multimodal approach.

HOW AAC IS ORGANIZED

AAC systems can be symbol-based, using pictures or graphic symbols, or text-based, using letters and words for people who can spell. Many systems combine both. AAC that produces spoken output through a device or app is often called a speech-generating device (SGD) or a voice output communication aid. People access AAC in different ways depending on their motor abilities, including direct selection by touching or pointing, switch scanning for those who cannot point reliably, and eye-gaze access that uses eye movements to make selections.

ASSESSMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

Choosing an AAC system is a process, not a single decision. An AAC assessment looks at the person, their communication needs, their environments, and their access abilities in order to match features to the individual. Implementation is ongoing and depends heavily on communication partners such as family members, teachers, and peers who learn to model and support the system. In education, AAC supports both everyday communication and academic participation, and it is often addressed within an IEP.

CORE AAC RESOURCES

Explore our current in-depth AAC resources: AAC Basics, Speech-Generating Devices, AAC Access Methods, and Academic AAC: Communication, Curriculum Access, and Classroom Participation. Additional resources on symbol-based and text-based systems, communication partners, and AAC funding are planned as this library continues to grow.

PRODUCT NOTE

Product and manufacturer examples mentioned in this section are provided for educational purposes and do not constitute endorsement by The Accessibility Clinic Inc. Commercial products are described as neutral educational examples, and this information does not replace an individualized professional recommendation.

ACADEMIC AAC

Because AAC supports both everyday communication and academic participation, some AAC apps include academic-specific content, such as K-12 vocabulary and state-based academic standards configuration, in addition to core communication features. One example is AcademicVoice, developed by EquaAccess, described in more detail on the Speech-Generating Devices page. Our Academic AAC: Communication, Curriculum Access, and Classroom Participation page explores this topic in more depth.

Disclosure: AcademicVoice is developed and sold by Assistive Technology Evaluations & Services, LLC, doing business as EquaAccess, a for-profit company owned by Dr. Jeffrey Davis, who also serves as Executive Director of The Accessibility Clinic Inc. The nonprofit has a financial relationship with EquaAccess and may receive a percentage of AcademicVoice sales under a related-party arrangement. AcademicVoice is presented as one example and is not appropriate for every person. Assistive technology should be selected based on individual needs.

FURTHER READING

For educators and specialists who want a deeper resource, Practically Speaking: Language, Literacy, and Academic Development for Students with AAC Needs by Gloria Soto, Carole Zangari, and David R. Beukelman covers literacy and academic instruction for students who use AAC. An Educator's Guide to AAC: Supporting Communication and Language Learning by Howard C. Shane and Leigh Anne White offers classroom-focused strategies for supporting AAC users. These are Bookshop.org affiliate links; qualifying purchases may earn The Accessibility Clinic Inc. a small commission that helps support free resources like this site.

RELATED RESOURCES

For an overview of the field, see Assistive Technology 101. For an overview of funding pathways, see Funding Assistive Technology. For general guidance on matching technology to needs, see AT Assessment & Selection. For individualized help from the nonprofit, visit AccessibilityClinic.org. For access methods that use physical switches, see Switch Access. For eye-controlled access, see Eye Gaze and Eye-Tracking Assistive Technology. For strategies for using AAC and other assistive technology in a homeschool or home-learning setting, see Assistive Technology for Homeschool and Home Learning.