The DTA Blog

Getting a new AAC system is exciting! After all the evaluations, paperwork, and waiting, our student finally has access to a robust communication system. Now what?

An AAC system is only as effective as the environment surrounding it. Because communication is a two-way street, adults in the classroom—teachers, speech-language pathologists, and paraeducators—play a massive role in shaping how often and how successfully a student uses their voice.

Every October, we celebrate AAC Awareness Month—a month devoted to increasing awareness, acceptance, inclusion, and opportunity for people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

When we think about helping our children learn to use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, it’s easy to picture a structured activity: sitting at the table, focusing hard, and practicing words. But that’s not how communication develops for most children, and it’s not how AAC learning works best either.

I watched Project Hail Mary recently, and because I spend most of my days thinking about communication, I found myself watching it through that lens.

Science class offers a uniquely rich opportunity for language learning. Science experiments are active, sensory, and filled with curiosity.