AAC Newsletter
AAC Best Practices
1. Access!
Let’s think about it- if a Deaf student entered our school,
and required an ASL translator, would we only have that
translator during speech? Or only one-on-one during
snack? I hope not! Communication systems are the
same! Our complex communicators need access to
their communication system all day, at all times, and in
all environments. This is also why it is important that iPad
communication systems are being used exclusively for
communication.
2. Modeling!
This can also be called “aided language simulation”.
This video gives a perfect explanation for why it is
important to pair our verbal speech with our student’s
AAC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flFNMky22-U
3. Core Vocabulary!
Core words make up EIGHTY percent of what we say,
even though there are only about 200 core words total!
Basically, core words are everything except nouns (we
call those fringe). Go, want, purple, me, big, sad… those
are all core words! A challenge: try and describe what
you did last night using only core, and then only fringe.
Which gave a better picture of what happened?
4. Communication Opportunities
Exposure isn’t enough! Modeling helps build receptive
language, but structured opportunities carry that over.
Research indicates that AAC users need 200
opportunities per day in order for the system to be
effective. It feels like a lot- until we stop and consider
how often we’re verbally communicating. Stuctured
communication opportunities build equity within our
classrooms!
Did you know???
Typically developing
children hear 4000-6000
words per day for about a
year before they speak their
first word, and then 40006000 words per day in their
second year to lead to twoword phrases!
Types of AAC
1. No Tech: Doesn’t
require additional
equipment (e.g.
pointing, ASL, smiling)
2. Low Tech: Does not
require a power
source (e.g. pictures,
handwritten text)
3. Mid Tech: Is
electronically
powered, but has
limited, if any,
dynamic functions
(e.g. GoTalks, Big
Mack switches)
4. High Tech: Is
electronically
powered with
dynamic functions
(e.g. speech
generating devices
like iPads with
communication apps)
September 2, 2022
September 2, 2022