We’ve all been there.
You get that student who has an AAC device.
Maybe you watch some videos or participate in an in-service so you know how to work the app or program on your student’s AAC device.
But then you put the device in front of your student, and they throw it across the room.
Or maybe you realize they don’t have the motor skills to push the symbols.
Maybe they don’t even realize that a picture could be used to ask for something and don’t even recognize any of the vocabulary on their device.
You might start working on some basic requesting, but the student doesn’t even initiate basic requests on their own if you aren’t doing it for them.
You feel like you’re doing the same thing over and over again, and pretty soon the device is up on the shelf every time you go to pick the student up for their speech sessions.
This fancy device was supposed to fix the problem and give your student a way to communicate…but now it’s collecting dust.
And your student is no better.
Why does this happen?
The problem: We’re so focused on “devices” that we forget about the students using them.
Here’s what many IEP team members don’t realize: AAC is NOT a device.
Everything we do in special education needs to start with the student as an individual. We start with the student and their needs first.
But the problem is that I’ve seen some IEP teams do this backwards.
They hear about a great new device that has been well-marketed.
Then they learn all about its features and capabilities.
And then, because they hear about all the amazing possibilities, they try to mold their student’s skills to meet the needs of that device.
What they should be doing is getting a complete picture of the student FIRST before thinking about what system to use.
How else will they know what features the student needs?
How else with they know if the student has the skills to actually USE the device successfully.
When we know our students, we pick a system that will push them and help them reach their potential.
But if we focus on the device first, we don’t consider all of our options, and we forget about the student and the whole point of AAC to begin with. We might pick something that sounds good on paper, but is completely wrong for our student in reality.
And when that happens, your student is headed for failure and the device will rarely be used.
So…if AAC is not a device, what is it?
Before I tell you, let’s go back to the basics. What does AAC actually mean?
AAC stands for “augmentative and alternative communication.”
When we “augment” something, we supplement or support it.
This is where many people get lost. I’ve heard AAC trainers confuse the heck out of people with this one.
This “augmenting” piece of AAC suggests that we’re doing something “in addition to”. This means we could be using a combination of things to help students express their ideas.
We could be using gestures.
We could be using picture symbols.
We could be using an electronic device.
We could, at times, even be using speech.
I’ve heard horror stories about kids who’ve finally initiated a request, but been denied what they were asking for because they didn’t use the “right” AAC to do it.
And the sad thing is that I’ve seen professional trainers encourage this, which is complete nonsense.
AAC is not a device that needs to replace speech 100% of the time. Many times it’s a supplement within a system of multiple communication options. Hence the word “augment”.
This is where many IEP teams are getting lost…which is leading to abandoned devices.
But there’s good news. You, as the SLP are in a unique position to education your team so this doesn’t happen.
When teams have the right expert support, they can finally give students with complex communication needs a voice.
“But wait! I’m not an expert!”
If that’s going through your head…stick with me for a minute.
We’ve ALL felt like impostors at some point in our careers. Which is why it’s so important we have access to the right guidance and support we need to make good clinical decisions.
We call ourselves “practicing” SLPs for a reason…because we’re in a constant state of “practicing” and improving.
And contrary to popular belief it doesn’t have to take 20+ years to call yourself an expert.
You can cut your learning curve in half by investing in the right support.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to cost you thousands of dollars (like it did for me), and it doesn’t have to cut in to hours of your free time.
I’ve created SLP Learning Academy to give you the guidance you need to work through your most challenging cases studies.
This past summer, we dove in to AAC implementation and how to help students use devices across setting (plus how to make time to educate the IEP team…even with a full-time caseload).
I wanted to share a segment of one our these exclusive member coaching calls so you can get a peak inside.
On this call we through a case of an elementary school with a handful of AAC users in secondary school.
We talked about:
👉How to get students using their devices across settings.
👉An evidence-based way to facilitate language growth
👉The mindset shift we need to teach stakeholders so they buy-in to the process.
👉How to navigate logistics when you have multiple device users on your caseload.
👉How to build students’ language skills, without having to stop and program the device in the middle of a sentence.
>>>You can check out the case study here.<<<
AAC has been a trending topic this summer in SLP Learning Academy, but it’s just one of the topics we’ve covered in our member Q & A calls. This past couple months, we’ve also covered things like how to:
✅Get teachers to buy-in to classroom accommodations/language facilitation techniques.
✅Support literacy growth in young children with parents who don’t speak English.
✅Interview people in a way that motivates them to follow through on your recommendations.
✅Support secondary students with conditions like ADHD and ASD, including writing-goals.
✅Handle scheduling logistics so you can do more classroom-based therapy.
✅Navigate the RtI process with ease as an SLP supporting school-aged children.
Come get support with challenges like this plus much more in SLP Learning Academy.
