WHAT IS AAC?

An AAC device, which stands for "Augmentative and Alternative Communication" device, is a tool used by people with speech impairments to communicate by utilizing systems like pictures, symbols, or text on a device that can then speak the words aloud, essentially allowing them to express themselves when they cannot rely on spoken language alone; it can be a tablet, computer program, or dedicated handheld device depending on the user's neednication that can help non-speaking individuals, or those that find verbal speech to be unreliable.

WHY AN AAC

When children aren't able to communicate through spoken words, it can cause frustration and barriers in life. If an AAC system is appropriate for you/your child, an AAC can provide a child with a reliable communication system. An AAC may help your child:

  • ​Use meaningful vocabulary​

  • ​Successfully relay their wants, needs, ideas, and questions

  • ​Participate fully in daily decisions and interactions

  • ​Build confidence as an independent communicator

We highly recommend doing your own research to find out if an AAC may be a good fit for you/your child. And if you’re wondering where to start, we recommend BohoSpeechie’s Instagram AAC highlight!

WAYS TO OBTAIN AN AAC

  1. Ask your child's school - Request an evaluation and that they provide your child an AAC device

  2. Ask your child’s SLP - see if they can assist you with getting an AAC device!

  3. Ask your child's doctor - see if they can assist you with getting an AAC device by writing a prescription or creating a letter of medical necessity

  4. Ask your insurance company (including Medicaid and MediCal) - AAC’s are considered durable medical equipment. So, ask IF they provide them and if so, what it takes to get a device!

  5. Ask your Regional Center - let your coordinator know you need an AAC device, see if they can help!

  6. Look for FREE apps or downloads to try on your own smart phone or current iPad/tablet - there are free Core Board’s you can download on Teacher’s Pay Teachers, Google is your friend for this one :)

  7. Look for other programs that may be able to assist you - Help Me Grow, United Healthcare Children's Foundation, Lilly’s Voice, Channing’s Joy

NATALIE’S AAC TESTIMONIAL

The gift of having a voice is something I took for granted prior to having a non speaking child. Jack has always made sounds and babbled as a baby , but when those sounds never turned into intelligible words we experienced first hand the struggle of having no voice. Jack learned very quickly how to get his basic needs met with reaching, hand leading and tapping. He was never able to do sign language as he struggles greatly with fine motor activities and movement. Jack is very visual and LOVES books! At age 2 1/2 was started using PECs (low tech pictures) which he quickly took to. We didn’t follow any certain protocol, we just supplied him with a tiny Velcro book and laminated picture icons of things he frequently wanted. He would tear the photo out of the book and hand it to us. There were some struggle with this, he was very limited with his options, he often lost the cards and mouthed/ruined the cards frequently. Jack has pica and puts non edible items in his mouth. At 3 1/2 yrs old he was introduced to an AAC at school. His speech therapist thought he would be a good candidate. It was overwhelming to learn and we as parents had no idea what we were doing. We received a 15 min crash course and were told to practice and model without expectations. Surprisingly Jack took the device rather quickly. He loves shows and free iPad time, so we made sure to keep his AAC device separate from his iPad and not have any play apps on his AAC. We referred to his AAC as his voice, words or device. We eventually switched programs (to proloque2go) as we found one that we thought was more customizable and could grow and expand with his language as he grew.

The AAC became life changing for us and Jack. This left less guessing for us as parents. He could tell us exactly what he wanted when it came to food, shows, activities. At times if I can’t find a button on the device I can ask him and he will show me! He can manipulate through multiple pages and folders. What we didn’t realize is how prompt dependent we were with using his device. As Jack’s communication journey grew we leaned about Gestalt Language Processing (GLP), more on AAC modeling and not just using the device for requesting. While Jack is not having fluent conversations yet with his AAC, he continues to build skills and independence. He is able to show his knowledge at school through answering questions on his device.

Jack has times where he uses his device more than others. We have learned to not put pressure on him or try to make it a chore. Communication is already hard for him so why would we want to make it harder?! While we still always hope one day Jack will have the gift of verbal speech, we are forever grateful he has the gift of an AAC to communicate. For any parent interested in trying it I highly recommend going for it! Do not worry about if your child can’t use their index finger to hit the buttons (Jack initially used his thumb) or if you have attempted or mastered PECS. There is no prerequisite to AAC, that’s a myth! It doesn’t have to be perfect and you can start small, focusing on something you want to model each day on the device with no pressure. We continue to advocate for Jack and all individuals to have the have a method of communication and are so proud of Jack every time he is able to communicate.