Augmentative & Alternative Communication
When someone is non verbal or has limited verbal speaking abilities, they can still communicate through Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). AAC can look like many different things, ranging from a personalized communication book, to picture communication, to a software program on a tablet. AAC is often used after a stroke, when someone is non verbal, or when someone has delayed language skills. Our Speech Language Pathologists can provide assessments and therapy to help your loved one learn to communicate more freely or develop their language skills through an AAC.
What to expect during your visit:
The first thing a therapist will assess is the person’s ability to make choices, how much language they understand, what instructions they can follow, and how well they can express themselves through speech. Based on this, the therapist will recommend an AAC tool that is best suited to help them communicate their needs and wants. A summary of this analysis is included in the Speech Language Pathology report.
The AAC might be low tech, starting with pointing to pictures to make a choice, or it could move to higher tech, like using a tablet or an iPad with a software program to help the person press individual word buttons to create whole sentences that are read out loud for them.
If the person we’re assessing is already using AAC, we will determine if it’s a right fit for them and work on expanding the individual’s and the family’s use of the device to help the person communicate more freely and consistently.
Are you interested in booking our services?