Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

What Is AAC?

high tech AAC near me colorado illinois speech therapy teens and adults

The use of multiple modalities to supplement or compensate for the spoken communication of an individual

  • Unaided: Nonspoken forms of communication using your body, including gestures and facial expressions that do not. Unaided is also no-tech

    Aided: Communication that uses external support, such as a communication board with symbols or a pen and paper. This can be low-tech, mid-tech, and high-tech.

    • No-Tech: Does not use any materials other than your body—unaided communication.

      • e.g., gestures or facial expressions

    • Low-Tech: Use physical tools but do not require batteries, electronics, or power—aided communication.

      • e.g., communication books or choice cards

    • Mid-Tech: Uses some technology, but with limited customizations and dynamic displays -aided communication.

      • e.g., single message button or step-by-step communicator

    • High-tech: Advanced electronic communication devices that can have dynamic screens and customizable, robust language systems - aided communication.

      • e.g., Communication apps

  • Communication devices that produce speech, either with a recorded or synthesized voice.

  • The way a communicator can use their devices

    • Direct touch - using a finger or stylus

    • Switch scanning - using a button to pick a message

    • Eye gaze - using their eyes to pick words

    • Head tracking - using their head to pick words

  • Anyone who has a limited speech production

    • Stroke

    • Traumatic Brain Injuries

    • ALS

    • Apraxia

    • Cerebral Palsy

    • Autism

    • Intellectual Disabilities

    • Developmental Disabilities

AAC Services

Evaluation

An AAC evaluation is the first step in finding a communication system that truly works for an individual. At AugmentAbility Speech Therapy, our evaluations are personalized, collaborative, and focused on the communicator’s real-life needs—not just what looks good on paper. During the evaluation, we:

  • Learn about the communicator’s current communication skills—what’s working well, and what’s challenging

  • Explore their communication needs at home, school, work, and in the community

  • Look at access methods—how they can best use AAC (touch, switches, eye gaze, etc.)

  • Try a variety of low-, mid-, and high-tech AAC options

  • Involve family and team members to ensure the AAC will be supported everywhere

  • Collect data in real-life settings whenever possible

Trial

An AAC trial is a chance to test-drive different communication systems before choosing one to use long-term. During trials, we:

  • Explore a variety of AAC options (low-tech through high-tech speech-generating devices)

  • Match system features to the communicator’s needs, strengths, and preferences

  • Try different access methods (touch, switch, eye gaze, etc.)

  • Collect real-world data on ease of use, communication success, and motivation

  • Include family and support team input at every step

Therapy

Once we’ve identified a strong AAC match, we provide therapy focused on:

  • Building the user’s confidence and independence in communicating

  • Expanding vocabulary and sentence building

  • Supporting all forms of communication (speech, gestures, AAC)

  • Coaching families, educators, and support staff so AAC is available and supported everywhere

  • Teaching strategies for real-life communication—whether that’s telling a joke, asking for help, or sharing an opinion

Two people, a woman with black hair and a man with dark hair, smiling with arms outstretched in a cheerful pose in front of beige curtains.

AAC Resources