AAC, in the world of speech therapy and communication, is the acronym for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. It includes any form of communication used, other than the spoken word, to express oneself.

AAC includes: gestures, facial expressions, vocalizations, body language, signs, written text, pictures, symbols. Many of these forms of communication are used by everyone. AAC is used by adults and children with complex communication needs so that they can express their ideas, feelings, wants, needs and knowledge as part of social interaction with others at home, work and school.

One of the best places to get more information about AAC, or Augmentative and Alternative Communication, is the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Other sources of information and resources I have used include:

• RERC on AAC
• International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC)
• AssistiveWare
• News2You
• Hilliker Therapy Services
• Tina Caswell, MS, CCC-SLP
• Badger Speech Therapy
• CoughDrop

These are but a few resources for information about AAC, speech therapy, education and assistive technology. I’ll be posting more about finding a good Speech Therapist, Advocacy and Education. Meanwhile, where are you in this AAC journey? Is it new and confusing? Are you looking for information and ideas? Considering homeschooling? Are you an experienced AAC user, parent or professional willing to share your successes? I’d love to hear from you!