What is AAC?
AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. It refers to any form of communication other than verbal speech.
AAC can "augment" existing speech or serve as an "alternative" when speech is not possible.
"Everyone deserves a voice! Not being able to speak does not mean having nothing to say."
— Start AAC Today
You've Already Used AAC
Remember when you lost your voice from a bad cold? You grabbed a pen and paper to write what you wanted to say — that's a form of "low-tech AAC."
Even when traveling abroad and you don't speak the language, using gestures to get by? That's AAC too.
We've all needed AAC at some point.
Three Types of AAC
Pointing to what you want (no-tech AAC)
Pointing to pictures or words (low-tech AAC)
Using a phone or tablet to type (high-tech AAC)
From simplest to most advanced, AAC is about making sure your message is heard.
Who Might Need AAC?
Some people need it temporarily; others need it long-term or for life.
Approximately 1.3% of the population cannot be heard or understood through speech alone.
Common groups include: cerebral palsy, autism, severe intellectual disability, apraxia of speech, ALS, multiple sclerosis, stroke-related aphasia, traumatic brain injury, and more.
Why Is AAC So Important?
Communication Is How We Exist
We spend most of our day communicating. Communication isn't just talking — it's saying "I love you," saying "thank you," sharing funny stories,
and telling others "who I am and what I've been through."
Imagine having so much to say, but no one can hear you. How would that feel?
Everyone Deserves the Right to Express Themselves
A person with cerebral palsy, after learning to use AAC, used it to tell his family he was being abused by his caregiver.
Without AAC, would he have suffered in silence for the rest of his life?
A young boy with a tracheostomy used AAC to tell his mom: the cat peed on the bed!
Communication and Respect: Truly "Speaking to Them"
An AAC user shared: when visiting the doctor, the doctor always spoke to his mom, as if he didn't exist. It wasn't until he used AAC to describe his health concerns that the doctor, surprised, turned to him and started actually "speaking to him." In that moment, he was a person with thoughts and opinions.
Communication Defines Who I Am
Another AAC user said: "When I communicate with AAC, people see the 'real me,' not just the person sitting in a wheelchair."
Silence was never golden — we all need to connect and communicate with others. Communication is a fundamental human need and a basic human right.
(Bob Williams, 2000, p.248)
References:
Beukelman, D. R., & Mirenda, P. (2013). Augmentative and Alternative Communication:
Supporting Children and Adults with Complex Communication Needs (4th ed.). Brookes Publishing.
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