Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC)

AAC refers to all of the different types of ways someone communicates besides talking. There are many different forms of AAC from very low-tech to high-tech.

Low-tech can include:

• gestures and facial expressions,
• writing,
• drawing,
• spelling words by pointing to letters, and
• pointing to photos, pictures, or written word

High-tech:

• using an app on an iPad or tablet to communicate and
• using a computer with a “voice," sometimes called a speech-generating device.

Augmentative communication (AAC) is typically divided into two categories: aided and unaided. Unaided forms of AAC require some form of motor control but do not require an external tool (e.g., gestures, manual signs, body language), while aided forms of AAC require external support and can be considered low-tech (e.g., pictures, objects, photographs), or high-tech (e.g., SGDs, AAC software on computers and tablets).

When considering speech therapy options that include the use of AAC, an assessment must be conducted first. When considering an AAC device for an individual, developing the client case history is extremely important. This should include:

• the clients performance in the classroom (if they are a student); 
• their interactions with their family and community;
• and the nature of their communication disorder, with consideration of whether motor control will affect their use of AAC 

The goal of the assessment is to elicit an accurate representation of the AAC user’s communication potential. Typically, informal assessments and dynamic assessments are used to supplement standardized data, along with spoken and written language assessment, social and cognitive communication assessment, and symbol and feature-matching assessments.