What AAC is
AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication — any tool or method that supplements or replaces speech. It includes:
- Unaided AAC: gestures, sign language, facial expressions
- Low-tech aided AAC: picture cards, communication boards, PECS
- High-tech aided AAC: speech-generating apps (Proloquo2Go, TouchChat, LAMP Words for Life, AAC apps on iPad)
Who benefits
Anyone whose speech is unreliable, effortful, or doesn't fully express their thoughts — including:
- Non-speaking autistic people
- Sometimes-speaking ("unreliably speaking") autistic people
- People who lose speech under stress (situational mutism)
- People whose speech and thoughts don't match (apraxia)
- Adults in shutdown or burnout
Two myths to retire
Myth 1: "Giving AAC will stop them from speaking." False. A systematic review (Schlosser & Wendt, 2008) found AAC use is associated with increases, not decreases, in spoken language. Communication access never harms speech development.
Myth 2: "They have to earn AAC by mastering prerequisites." False. The presumed-competence model (ASHA position statement) says everyone has a right to communicate. There are no prerequisites.
Modeling — the single most important practice
The research is clear: AAC users need to see fluent adults use the same system (Sennott et al., 2016). This is called Aided Language Stimulation or modeling.
When you talk to the child, also tap on their device:
- "I see a DOG. Big DOG. You LIKE DOG?"
- Model 5–10× more language than you ask the child to produce
Choosing a system
An SLP who specializes in AAC (not just speech therapy) can run a trial. Look for:
- Robust vocabulary (hundreds to thousands of words from day one), not just nouns
- Core words (go, want, more, stop, that, like) front and center
- Motor planning that stays consistent as vocabulary grows
- A system the person actually wants to use
Adult AAC users
Many autistic adults use AAC part-time, especially in overload, shutdown, or medical settings. This is valid full communication, not regression.