October is AAC Awareness Month, and there's a phrase I sometimes hear from families that I wanted to talk about:
"We're moving on from visual symbols to AAC."
What they mean is that their child is getting a communication device; a tablet with a symbol app, or a dedicated speech device. And that's brilliant news! I've seen first hand what a difference such devices can make.
But every time I hear it, I want to say: you've been using AAC all along. The symbol cards on the fridge, the visual timetable by the front door, the communication book in the changing bag – that's all AAC too.
So this month, I want to clear up what AAC really is, and why the visuals you already use are a big part of it.
So what is AAC?
AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. It covers any way of communicating that adds to speech, or is used instead of it. So that could be sign language, facial expressions, lip reading and, of course, pictures.
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Augmentative means adding to speech
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Alternative means instead of speech
That's it. AAC isn't one piece of equipment, and it isn't a stage you graduate to. It's a whole family of tools.
The AAC family
AAC is often split into two groups.
Unaided AAC uses nothing but your body – gestures, facial expressions, pointing, signing and Makaton.
Aided AAC uses something outside your body. This is usually described in three levels:
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Low tech – no batteries needed. Symbol cards, visual timetables, choice boards, communication books, keyrings, feelings charts, and alphabet boards.
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Light tech – simple electronic aids, like a button that plays one recorded message.
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High tech – tablets with symbol apps and dedicated speech-generating devices.
The thing is, lots of these use visual symbols. Open up a communication app on a tablet and what do you see? Visual symbols. A grid of pictures, each with a word underneath, just like you saw on your child's visual timetable
The skills your child has built with symbol cards – understanding that a picture stands for a thing, an action or a feeling, choosing between symbols, handing over or pointing to a symbol to make something happen – are the same skills they'll use on a device. The cards didn't hold them back from an AAC device. They got them ready for it.
Why you'll still want your visuals after the device arrives.
When I was teaching, I learnt very quickly that the best communication support is never one single tool. Real communication happens everywhere across a variety of resources.
There are also no "entry requirements" for AAC. Nobody has to prove they're ready. Everyone communicates, and everyone deserves a way to be understood.
What this means for you.
If your family is starting out with a device then I wish you the best of luck and really help it supports your child's communication in the best way possible. My top tip is to keep your visual cards close by, especially while you transition to using the device at first. Model on both.
I hope that helps clarify a little more about what AAC is, who it is for and how it can be used.
Happy AAC Awareness Month. Every way of communicating counts.