Augmentative and Alternative Forms of Communication? AAC? What is this? What does it mean?

Communication is the ability to send a message from one individual to another, and for that other individual to understand and interpret that message. Everyone has their own unique way to communicate.

Some people use oral communication (i.e., verbal words). Some people use gestures and facial expressions. Some people use written communication. Some people use pictures, eye gaze or communication applications. Some people use several or all the above to communicate.

What is AAC?

Augmentative and Alternative forms of communication (AAC) support a person’s ability to communicate and reduce the likelihood of a communication breakdown. AAC will NOT stop a person from developing oral language. In fact, there is plenty of research and evidence to show that AAC actually aids and supports language development. If the person is going to be an oral communicator, AAC will not hinder their development, if anything AAC may enhance their communication skills.

Forms of AAC

There are many forms of AAC, and what helps one person may not be suitable for another. These include:

• Paper-based forms such as individual pictures, aided language displays, and communication books.
• High-tech electronic versions such as GO-TALK, Proloquo2Go, LAMP, and TDSNAP.

Please note there are hundreds of versions of AAC, and it is best practice to talk to your speech pathologist on which method suits your loved one’s needs.

Need More Information?

For more information to identify if Augmentative and Alternative forms of communication would be beneficial, please click here to contact us.