An introduction to AAC
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) explained
What is AAC?
What is AAC?
Augmentative and Alternative Communication covers a range of strategies and tools which help children communicate. These may be simple letter or picture boards, or very sophisticated computer-based systems.
How can it help my child?
How can it help my child?
AAC will help your child communicate as effectively as possible, in as many situations as possible. At Pace, we carry out careful assessments to find out what suits your child best. They may use one or more forms of AAC.
What kind of support is out there?
There are some brilliant techniques and tools available, including:
- Communication boards, or PODD (Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display) books, containing symbols or words. Your child can point to the symbol with a part of their body, or by looking, or by using a laser pointer or head pointer.
- Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCAs) are speech-generating devices. These can be very simple – just one message – or very high-tech. Sometimes children use switches to scan through options for words.
- Signing. At Pace we regularly use sign supported English, with our children who have hearing impairment or to support understanding and focus.
- Switch scanning is a method that allows a child to press one or two switches to operate a Voice Output Communication Aid to select vocabulary from the list of options provided on the device.
- Partner-assisted auditory scanning is where the child chooses ‘yes’ or ‘no’ as another person reads out a list of options.
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