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At ATIA 2018 AAC users and support providers came up with a shared agreement document

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A training series to teach how to become a strong communication partner. This links to the overview of program.

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Developed to support communication in the classroom by Karen Erickson UNC, and links to the Dynamic Learning Maps DLM

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Harold is an observant and active high school senior. Jade is blind and has severe intellectual disabilities. Jeffrey is an elementary student who has complex physical needs. Nathan is an enthusiastic and energetic preschool student. Do you know a Harold, Jade, Jeffrey, or Nathan?

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Project Core - A Stepping-Up Technology Implementation Grant Directed by the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies

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Harold is an observant and active high school senior. Jade is blind and has severe intellectual disabilities. Jeffrey is an elementary student who has complex physical needs. Nathan is an enthusiastic and energetic preschool student. Do you know a Harold, Jade, Jeffrey, or Nathan?

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Training system especially for SLPs and staff to help element AAC

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Center on Technology and Disabilities is wonderful site filled with information about AT and AAC. Search for "AAC" and see the numerous webinars and training on AAC. They have recently lost their federal funding, so site is only available through 2021.

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Assistiveware offers an ongoing shared training site to implement Core vocabulary.

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The AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom - AssistiveWare

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The doors to the AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom are open! The Core Word Classroom is a free resource designed to support the implementation of any communication device based on core words.

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is updating their AAC Implementation Kit, but has been a standard resource since 2010.

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Positive AACtion - Information Kit for AAC Teams

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Positive AACtion - Information Kit for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Teams Our Positive AACtion kit is unavailable at this time as it

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ASHA Link that introduces AAC

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[ en Español]

Children and adults with severe speech or language problems may need to find other ways to communicate besides talking. There are many types of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) they can use. Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help.

On this page:

About AAC

AAC means all of the ways that someone communicates besides talking. People of all ages can use AAC if they have trouble with speech or language skills. Augmentative means to add to someone's speech. Alternative means to be used instead of speech. Some people use AAC throughout their life. Others may use AAC only for a short time, like when they have surgery and can't talk.

There are a lot of different types of AAC. No-tech and low-tech options include things like

gestures and facial expressions,

writing,

drawing,

spelling words by pointing to letters, and

pointing to photos, pictures, or written words.

High-tech options include things like

using an app on an iPad or tablet to communicate and

using a computer with a "voice," sometimes called a speech-generating device.

A person may use different types of AAC because there are many ways that we all communicate. An AAC system means all of the tools of this type that a person uses.

Working With A Speech-Language Pathologist

An SLP can help find the right AAC system for you or your loved one. They also help you and the people you talk with learn how to use AAC to communicate. Not every tool works for every person, so it is important to find the right one for you. SLPs work with other professionals like occupational therapists and physical therapists if you have different physical skills that affect how you access your AAC system. Some AAC tools are covered by insurance, but some are not. Your SLP can help you understand your options.

Common Concerns

You may have questions or concerns about using AAC. Professionals have been studying AAC for years, so we've learned a lot about how AAC helps people communicate. Here are some of the areas that research has helped us understand.
Age, Skills, and Timing
Some people wonder if children need to be a certain age before they can use AAC. Research shows that AAC helps people of all ages (even those younger than 3 years old)! You can use AAC early. There are no thinking skills, test scores, or other milestones that you need to reach before AAC can help.
Talking and Motivation
A lot of people wonder if using AAC will stop someone from talking or will slow down language development. This is not true-research shows that AAC can actually help with these concerns! People who use AAC can also learn how to read and write.
Movement
You might wonder how someone can use AAC if they have trouble moving their arms and hands. There are many ways to use an AAC system besides touching it. Your SLP may work with occupational therapists (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs) to find the best way for each person to use their AAC system.

You probably have other questions. The best person to talk to about AAC is an SLP. A good place to find an SLP who specializes in AAC is ASHA's Profind.

Other Resources

This list does not include every website on this topic. ASHA does not endorse the information on these sites.

To find an SLP near you, visit ProFind.

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Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

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Children and adults with severe speech or language problems may need to find other ways to communicate. There are many types of AAC that they can use. Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help.

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This concept breaks down the skill level on how an AAC user communicates with the goal to move a person up the levels.

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Article outlining the AAC Competencies and Psychological factors impacting use of AAC

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Powerful technique to support learning AAC

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This 11/2014 FAQ updates schools responsibilities to provide "Effective Communication" under Title II of the ADA as well as Section 504 and IDEA 2004. Dense, but important material.

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Filled with materials for schools and families to implement AAC.

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Welcome to RAST Resources! We provide team members with AAC tools and strategies based on best practices in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

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The AAC Genie is an iPad app that is similar to the TASP in that it looks at how size and types of symbols a person can access.

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AAC Evaluation Genie | Hump Software Tip Top Apps

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Description of the iOS app AAC Evaluation Genie

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Test of Aided-Communication Symbol Performance tests different formats and sizes of a person can access symbols.

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Home / All / TASP: Test of Aided-Communication Symbol Performance

M3MJ205

TASP helps assess symbolic skills quickly and easily. It provides a starting point for designing or selecting an appropriate AAC device page set. TASP uses results to design communication boards and establish appropriate AAC intervention goals and strategies targeting symbolic and syntactic development. Some additional features of TASP:

Serves as a tool to benchmark progress in aided communication performance

Uses Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) and complements other components of the AAC assessment process

Includes subtests, which can be administered over a period of sessions to test understanding of:

Symbol size and number

Grammatical encoding

Categorization

Syntactic performance

Establishes basals and ceilings for each subtest

Appropriate for children through adults who have the physical ability to function by pointing

Saves time with an administration time of just 10 to 20 minutes

Scoring procedures are objective and rapid

Test forms are reproducible

Includes customizable worksheets for a variety of practice exercises

TASP is also effective with preschoolers and kindergartners! Use it to count functional objects, stimulate math practice with colorful activities and more!
I ncludes reproducible subtests (with basals and ceilings), case study examples, manual, answer sheet (for completion during testing) and assessment folder.

This website uses JavaScript to apply discounts. To be eligible for discounts, please enable JavaScript for your browser.

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TASP: Test of Aided-Communication Symbol Performance

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TASP helps assess symbolic skills quickly and easily. It provides a starting point for designing or selecting an appropriate AAC device page set. TASP uses results to design communication boards and establish appropriate AAC intervention goals and strategies targeting symbolic and syntactic development. Some additional

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Communication Technology Education Center (CTEC)

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The mission of the Communication Technology Education Center (CTEC) is to connect people of all abilities through augmentative & alternative communication (AAC), so that they can give voice to their own journey.

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International Society for Alternative and Augmentative Communication

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International Society for Alternative and Augmentative Communication

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ISAAC is the international organization supporting AAC

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The International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) works to improve the lives of children and adults who use AAC. ISAAC's vision is that AAC will be recognized, valued and used throughout the world. ISAAC's mission is to promote the best possible communication for people with complex communication needs.

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) helps millions worldwide who cannot rely on their natural speech to communicate.

On this website you can find information about ISAAC, including our biennial conference, International AAC Awareness Month, the Leadership Project for People who use AAC, and much more. Publications and other information resources are available through the ISAAC International office info(at)isaac-online.org.

In our continuing efforts to make our website available globally through translation, we have installed the Google Translate function on this website as a pilot project only. ISAAC does not warrant or guarantee in any way the completeness or accuracy of any translation provided by Google Translate. Translation represents a critical part of the on-going development of the ISAAC website, so please visit our site regularly for future updates.

For informational purposes only.

ISAAC does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein, and shall have no liability whatsoever (including but not limited to) for any direct, indirect, special or consequential damages, loss of anticipated profits or other economic loss arising out of, in connection with or relating to the information contained herein, its use or reliance, or from the pursuit or provision of interested parties.

©2011-2017 International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. All rights reserved. ISAAC and the ISAAC logo are registered trade marks of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
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The International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) works to improve the lives of children and adults who use AAC. ISAAC's vision is that AAC will be recognized, valued and used throughout the world. ISAAC's mission is to promote the best possible communication for people with complex communication needs.

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An on-going assessment to determine a communicators skills in different AAC competencies.

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This assessment looks at the overall communication abilities of a communicator.

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Functional Communication Profile-Revised (FCP-R) Best-Selling Assessment of Developmental Delays Ages: 3-0 through adultTesting Time: 45 to 90 minutesAdministration:

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Rehabilitation Research Center on Alternative and Augmentative Communication

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Rehabilitation Research Center on Alternative and Augmentative Communication

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Current research site - current research is especially addressing literacy for AAC users

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The RERC on AAC is a collaborative center committed to advancing knowledge and producing innovative engineering solutions in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

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Rehabilitation Research Center on Alternative and Augmentative Communication

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Rehabilitation Research Center on Alternative and Augmentative Communication

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Archived site to 2015

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Update on AAC-RERC State of the Science Report Melanie Fried-Oken provided an update on The AAC-RERC 2012 State of the Science Conference Report at the A TIA/RESNA R esearch Symposiumin Orlando Florida on January 30, 2013.

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Communication Inventory - especially useful for helping determine

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Augmentative Communication, Inc. | Social Networks

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The Social Networks Video features five individuals with complex communication needs and their social networks. The video depicts how Social Networks helps your team set goals, measure outcomes, make transition plans, and prepare IEPs and IPPs. The video will also help your team make sound assistive technology decisions.

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An assessment that is especially helpful for our most complex communicators

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Wecome to the Communication Matrix

Understanding what individuals are capable of today is the first step toward helping them reach their potential.

Assessment

The Communication Matrix is a free assessment tool created to help families and professionals easily understand the communication status, progress, and unique needs of anyone functioning at the early stages of communication or using forms of communication other than speaking or writing.

"I am very excited about using this Matrix as part of our assessment and treatment plan for students with ASD." - Special Education Teacher

Community

Our Community includes an active forum where SLPs, teachers, families, and researchers can connect, share information, learn from the field, and offer and receive support.

"I love a focus on complex communication needs. Frequently I look at sites or information that does not apply to my students. It is great to have a site that focuses on the students I work with." - Parent

Purchase Paper and PDF copies of the Communication Matrix Assessment here.

See who is using the Communication Matrix around the world

© 2023 Charity Rowland, Ph.D.

Site by State33 and Smith & Connors

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The Communication Matrix is a free assessment tool created to help families and professionals easily understand the communication status, progress, and unique needs of anyone functioning at the early stages of communication or using forms of communication other than speaking or writing.

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Communication Matters | More than just talking...

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Communication Matters aims to increase understanding, awareness and knowledge of the needs of people with complex communication needs.