The DTA Blog

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.

If we want students to become proficient communicators with AAC, they need to see other people communicating with AAC. Teachers, paraprofessionals, SLPs and other communication partners need opportunities to learn the systems our students are learning.