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Use this free tool to create index card size visual supports

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Check out one of my top two sites for educational resources including social stories and scenarios!

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Instantly access Twinkl's printable and digital K-12 teaching resources, including worksheets, eBooks, games, PowerPoints, Google Slides, and more!

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Check out this fantastic scholarly article on visual supports for children with Autism

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Watch this video to learn an overview of the incredible $50 app called TD Snapcore First, a communication app to turn a tablet into a speech generating device

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TD Snap Communication App: 10 Minute Overview

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Use this link to learn more about Alternative Communication

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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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Use this link to find multiple social stories covering a wide variety of topics

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Use our social narratives to support your loved one with autism.
Social narratives are simple stories that focus the individual's attention on only the key details of a situation and can support understanding and performance. Please keep in mind, it is important to adjust the number and complexity of details to meet the needs of the individual. Learn more about social narratives.

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Social Narratives to support our loved ones with autism

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Use our social narratives to support your loved one with autism. Social narratives are simple stories that focus the individual's attention on only the key details of a situation and can support understanding and performance. Please keep in mind, it is important to adjust the number and complexity of details to meet the needs of the individual.

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Use this link to learn all about the communication strategy called social stories

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Social stories and comic strip conversations

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Find out more about social stories and comic strip conversations, and how they can help autistic people communicate.

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Check out this link to learn all about the communication strategy called visual supports

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Visual supports can help to:

provide structure and routine

encourage independence

build confidence

improve understanding

avoid frustration and anxiety

provide opportunities to interact with others.

They can make communication physical and consistent, rather than fleeting and inconsistent like spoken words can be.

Types of visual support

A wide range of items can be used as visual supports. For example:

These can be real objects, printed images, or on a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Uses of visual supports

Visual supports can be used in a range of ways, for example:

as a single message, eg the person takes a yellow card from their pocket when they need to go to the toilet, or a puts purple card on the board when they're feeling stressed

in combination to create a daily timetable, schedule, sequence or reward chart

to make a choice, eg the person can put the trampolining symbol in the 'afternoon' area of the board

to illustrate a social story or comic strip conversation.

Examples of visual supports

Make visual supports  portable, durable, easy to find, personalised and consistent.

Portable

Make the visual supports portable by:

using a visual supports app on the person's tablet

storing photos and pictures on the person's smartphone

putting symbols, pictures and schedules in a folder for the person to carry with them.

Durable

Laminate printed visual supports

Back up any app, photos and pictures you use on a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Easy to find

Ensure that visual supports are easy to find, for example by:

placing them in prominent places at eye level

putting them on an actual object

putting a single symbol in the person's pocket

distributing them throughout particular environments, eg objects and areas in the classroom and at home could be labelled

putting a shortcut to them from a tablet home screen

attaching symbols to boards so that people know where to go to look at them - you could also use Velcro strips to attach symbols to a board, meaning schedules can be easily altered, eg activities removed once completed.

Personalised

Visual supports are very personal and what works for one person may not work for another. Use the person's special interest, eg make a visual timetable in the shape of a rocket.

Remember that some autistic people have difficulties generalising, eg they may not realise that a Hula Hoop packet symbolises all crisps.

It can sometimes be helpful to use more than one type of visual support, but always introduce visual supports gradually. Start with one symbol and then build up a collection.

Consistent

If using pictures, once you choose a type or style (for example, line drawings), use it consistently. Ask family members, friends, teachers or support workers to use the same visual supports consistently.

Useful resources

There are lots of pictures you can download or buy as printed images and apps that you can use. Some examples are listed below. Inclusion does not mean that the National Autistic Society has endorsed them. You can search our Autism Services Directory or ask the community for suggestions of others.

You should always check the terms and conditions relating to the use of images that you download and any costs involved.

More information

Gerhardt, P, Cohen, M. (2014) Visual supports for people with autism: a guide for parents and professionals. Woodbine House

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Visual supports are a communication tool that can be used with autistic people. They can be used in most situations, and are adaptable and portable.

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Annotated Bibliography: Autism and Alternative Communication 

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For TEN scholarly sources on the subject of Alternative Communication, browse my annotated bibliography. It has multiple sources all about types of alternative communication that are most common, which are most effective and barriers to accessing them.

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Annotated Bibliography_ Autism and Alternative Communication (2)