Hi! My name is Amanda Goldstein, and I am a graduate student in the field of Speech-Language Pathology. Welcome to my blog post! Throughout my undergraduate experience, people continued to ask me what an “AAC device” is and why I wouldn’t stop talking about it. So, today I am here to explain it!
AAC stands for Alternative and Augmentative Communication, referring to an inclusive form of communication that encompasses more than just oral speech. As ASHA describes it, augmentative means to add to someone’s speech and alternative means to be used instead of speech.
There is a great range of different types of AAC including sign language, gestures, picture symbols, speech generating devices, and more. AAC devices can be used by many different people who have many different needs. AAC devices are commonly brought up when discussing autism, as may autistic individuals do not use oral speech; by providing these individuals with AAC devices, they have a platform for communication. Additionally, people with degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or Huntington’s disease may benefit from using an AAC device if they begin to lose motor speech; by providing them with an AAC device, they will also have a platform to communicate. Moreover, stroke patients or patients with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) can be introduced to an AAC device to have an accessible form of communication before regaining motor speech musculature. The list can go on and on but ultimately it should be the user and their family’s decision. A common way to categorize AAC devices is by separating them based on “low tech” “mid tech” and “high tech”, so that is what I have done to provide some explanations and examples.
Low Tech AAC
Low tech AAC refers to a method of communication that isn’t electronic but requires some equipment. This option may be utilized because it can oftentimes be quicker to learn how to use a low-tech device. Additionally, there are less distractions that come with working with a low-tech device. On the other hand, these devices may also be limited in giving the user flexibility in terms of what they can communicate. Examples of low-tech devices include a communication book made up of many pages with photos, a pen and paper, an alphabet board, and symbols written down on different index cards. In these methods, a user can select what they want to express by pointing to photos or symbols.
Picture: an example of a communication book taken from https://www.communicationcommunity.com/aacfileslowtech/
Mid Tech AAC
Mid-tech AAC devices are electronic devices that are battery operated. These devices are more complex than low-tech AAC devices but not as complex as the high-tech AAC devices. Someone who’s looking to work with a high-tech AAC device could start off with one of these and then progress to a high-tech device. An example of this is “GoTalk” which is a pre-programmed device that can messages based off the user’s selection.
Picture: an image of “GoTalk” taken from https://www.communicationcommunity.com/aacfileshightech/
High Tech AAC
High tech AAC devices are the most complex form of AAC devices, consisting of electronic devices with quite advanced functions. This could be in the form of an iPad that has many different pages and sections, whereby the user has more options and flexibility in what they can express. These have become so high tech that some AAC devices can be utilized by an eye gaze to control speech. This is very helpful in users who may be paralyzed or have minimal limb movement.
Picture: Stephen Hawking using a high tech AAC device that he controlled with his eyes taken from https://www.communicationcommunity.com/aacfileshightech/
Something worth noting is that I mostly highlighted the benefits of these devices; however, there are also many limitations to consider. For instance, some individuals might not have access to internet that is required with some devices. Additionally, some of the devices may be prone to accidents if getting dropped, getting wet, etc. Moreover, it can be difficult and frustrating for clients to have to always remember to have an AAC device on them to communicate. The examples I provided are also not an exhaustive list and I’d encourage you to do some exploring if you’re interested! Lastly, it is pivotal to think about how the users of these devices are included in the design of the devices and how we can enable them to become more part of the process.
References:
https://www.communicationcommunity.com/aacfileshightech/
https://www.communicationcommunity.com/aacfileslowtech/
https://medium.com/@dmahmarian/a-history-of-autism-and-aac-9a2b321b01f0
https://allaboutaac.wordpress.com/about-aac/3-2/
