It’s October, which means pumpkins, Halloween, changing leaves, and of course-AAC awareness month! It’s an exciting month for us!
What is AAC:
AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication. Think of augmentative as a way to communicate in addition to speech, and alternative as a substitute for speech.
AAC is basically anything other than oral speech that is used to communicate!
We all use AAC. We use it through texting, sending emojis, facial expressions and gestures. Other forms of AAC include: sign language, communication boards, pictures, and high-tech speech generating devices.
Who benefits from AAC?
Non-speaking individuals: Children or adults with apraxia of speech, dysarthria, selective mutism or autism may have difficulty accessing oral speech. Although non-verbal language such as gestures, eye gaze and facial expressions should be acknowledged as communication; high-tech AAC can also be used.
Gestalt language processors: AAC can support GLPs when they have “stuck” gestalts, or long gestalts that are unclear to their communication partners. In addition, AAC is a great augmentative or supplemental mode of communication to support them in initiating communication when they don’t have a spoken language script just yet.
Decreased intelligibility: Some speech and language disorders impact an individual's ability to be understood by all their communication partners. AAC is a great option to repair communication breakdowns.
Fluctuating ability to access spoken language: Many individuals' access to their spoken language may be impacted by their: regulation, sensory needs or fatigue. AAC can be use to support their communication needs, when their spoken language is not reliable.
We hope that answers some of your AAC questions!
Stay updated as we continue to release more content on AAC this month!
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