Welcome to Part 3 of our AAC myth-busting series! We’ve explored timing and speech development. Now let’s talk about something really exciting – what AAC can actually do when we think beyond ‘the basics.’
If you’ve been told AAC is mainly for requesting things, or if you’re wondering whether it’s “worth it” for more complex communication, this one’s for you. We’re about to explore just how rich and meaningful Augmentative and Alternative communication can be.
Ready to be amazed by what’s possible? Let’s dive in!
Here’s what we’ll look at today (click the myth to jump to the content):
What research shows: AAC supports all communication functions –
While requesting is often a starting point (because it’s highly motivating and creates immediate results), this represents only a fraction of human communication. Supporting someone who is minimally speaking to ‘protest’ and say ‘no’ to something is just as essential for asking for things. This encourages personal safeguarding and gives someone real communicative power!
Think about your own conversations throughout the day. How much time do you spend asking for basic needs versus sharing experiences, making jokes, or connecting with others?
The reality: Communication serves four main purposes and AAC communicators deserve access to ALL of them….
Researcher Janice Light discusses four fundamental reasons we communicate – and AAC should support all of them:²
1. Wants and Needs
This includes basic needs (food, comfort, assistance), personal preferences (favourite activities, entertainment, breaks), objects, and choice-making.
2. Information Sharing
Sharing knowledge, giving directions, answering questions, explaining how things work, providing updates about events. This makes up much of our daily communication at work, school, and home.
3. Social Connection
From greetings and sharing stories, to offering comfort, and making jokes. These social interactions help navigate public spaces and maintain relationships.
4. Protesting & Negating
identifying what you DON’T want or behaviour you’re trying to stop can help create safe spaces and encourage healthy boundaries.
The reality: If AAC focuses only on requesting, we’re limiting people to just one-quarter of human communication.
What research shows: Functional communication means being able to participate fully in all areas of life – social, educational, vocational, and personal.³
We need to ask crucial questions:
The reality: “Getting basic needs met” is the minimum standard for survival, not the goal for human flourishing. By giving people a system that only allows them to communicate their basic needs, we are establishing an artificial limit.
When this happens, we are taking away their language learning opportunities and ability to communicate for different ways and for more advanced reasons with more linguistic complexity.
What research shows: Modern AAC systems provide access to…
– Core vocabulary: High-frequency words like “think,” “different,” “because,” “maybe” that work across many situations
– Fringe vocabulary: Specific nouns, places, people’s names for detailed conversations
– Grammar tools: Word endings, sentence starters, conjunctions for complex language
– Social phrases: Conversation starters, expressions of empathy, humour
– Personal Safeguarding: Words and phrases for protesting and negating, like “I don’t like…”, “that’s not right…” and “this doesn’t meet my needs.”
The reality: With appropriate vocabulary access and responsive communication partners, AAC communicators can engage in sophisticated communication across all contexts.⁴
What research shows: Communication is always a two-way process. Responsive communication partners are essential for interactions.⁵
Effective communication partners:
The reality: When communication partners are engaged and responsive, rich conversations flourish. Communication barriers often result from partner factors, not AAC limitations.
Here’s what we love about supporting comprehensive AAC: every time we expand what’s possible, we discover that people have so much more to say than anyone realised.
When we move beyond just “getting needs met” and start supporting full, rich communication, amazing things happen.
If you’re just starting out, don’t feel like you need to implement everything at once. Start with one area that excites you, your child or your client – maybe storytelling if they love books, or social chat if they’re naturally social. Build from there!
For our fellow professionals: remember that meaningful communication assessment includes all these functions, not just requesting. When we support the full scope of human communication, we see the full scope of human potential.
Part 4 will explore technology choices and why you don’t need to start with “simple” tools before accessing robust communication systems.
Ready to explore comprehensive communication? Contact our team today to discover how AAC can support fuller, richer communication for you or your loved one.
Interested in learning more about AAC? Join one of our upcoming workshops or training events. Check out our full calendar here. You can also find AAC implementation resources at the Centre for AAC & Autism website.
References:
¹ Light, J., & McNaughton, D. (2014). Communicative competence for individuals who require augmentative and alternative communication: A new definition for a new era of communication? Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 30(1), 1-18.
² Light, J. (1996). Communication is the essence of human life. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 13, 61-70.
³ Hanson, Elizabeth. (2014). My Client Talks! Do I Still Need to Consider AAC in my Treatment Planning? Perspectives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 23, 124-131.
⁴ Soto, G., & Clarke, M. T. (2017). Effects of a conversation-based intervention on the linguistic skills of children with motor speech disorders who use augmentative and alternative communication. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 60(7), 1980-1998.
⁵ Kent-Walsh, J., & McNaughton, D. (2005). Communication partner instruction in AAC: Present practices and future directions. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 21(3), 195-204.
Your AAC device is an important part of everyday life, supporting conversations, learning, and connection with others. And, just like any piece of technology you rely on, it performs best when it’s well looked after! In this blog, we’ll share our top AAC device maintenance tips – including practical care, maintenance, and tech advice to help ensure your device stays reliable, responsive, and ready when you need it!
Let’s face it – devices get dirty. Whether you’re at school, work, or just having dinner, your device comes along for the ride. Give it some cleaning attention regularly to keep it working well.
For light cleaning, use a soft, lint-free cloth on the touchscreen. For deeper cleaning, use a slightly damp, lint-free cloth, then dry the screen with another soft cloth. You can find more detailed cleaning tips in your device manual.
Good to know: Keyguards can go in the dishwasher!
Your device comes with a specific charger – always use that one. Try to charge your battery before it drops to 0%. Charging when your battery is above 10% can extend its life significantly. For best results, charge your device upright at room temperature on a hard surface.
Tip: Turn off your device for faster charging.
We encourage keeping your device with you and ready to use for conversations throughout the day. However, there are smart times to use sleep mode or shut down completely.
Set your auto-sleep to five minutes or less. Use sleep mode when you won’t be using your device for short periods, like during swimming.
Remember that sleep mode uses about 2% of battery per hour. Consider turning off your device completely during longer breaks, like overnight.
Like most technology, your device works best when it’s not too hot. Take breaks from heat and avoid charging if your device feels warm. Move to shade or air conditioning rather than trying to cool it with water.
Tip: Keep a low-tech communication board handy for water activities.
Software updates bring new features and vocabulary to improve your communication experience. Connect to WiFi and follow the prompts in your settings menu to get these improvements. Updates also help your device run more smoothly overall.
Tip: Plug in your device during updates to protect your battery.
Your screen is essential for accessing all your communication options. Protect it from scratches, moisture, and spills with a screen protector. This also reduces glare and reflections, making it easier to see your buttons.
Visit our online store to see screen protector options for your device.
Your device is built to be durable and handle daily life. (If you haven’t already), you might try an extra protective case designed specifically for your device model. These cases provide additional security for active use at home and out in the community.
People change, and your needs change too. It might be time to check that you’re still accessing your device in the most comfortable and efficient way possible.
Connect with your support team (or ours!) to consider adjustments like:
Our local consultants are happy to discuss access questions to help you communicate at your best.
If you’re experiencing glitches, try restarting your device first – this solves most technical problems.
If you’re still having trouble after a restart, our support team is here to help. Contact us by phone, email, or through our website, and we’ll work together to get your AAC device maintenance issue resolved – and your device running smoothly again.
Need a little support with your AAC device maintenance?
Our team is here to help you make the most of your communication device. Whether you need help with AAC device maintenance or want to explore new ways to optimise your AAC setup, we’re just a call or click away.
Contact us:
