Part 4 in our Series on Dismantling Societal Barriers to Communication Research

We’ve been walking through the powerful research article “Dismantling Societal Barriers that Limit People Who Need or Use AAC” by Light, Fager, Gormley, Watson Hyatt, and Jakobs. So far, we’ve talked about policy and practice barriers and how even AAC tools themselves can be limiting when tech isn’t thoughtfully designed.

But there’s another barrier that can’t be fixed with better funding, faster Wi-Fi, or a different app.

It’s our attitude—and it shapes everything.

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What Are Attitude Barriers?

Attitude barriers are the beliefs and assumptions we (often unconsciously) carry that lead us to underestimate, ignore, or exclude people who use AAC. It’s not about whether we like someone or have good intentions. It’s about what we assume they’re capable of.

If you’ve ever heard or thought…

• “He doesn’t really understand what’s happening.”

• “She doesn’t need AAC—she doesn’t use it anyway.”

• “They can’t really be part of this discussion.”

• “Let’s just skip it, it’ll be too hard for them.”

…you’ve seen attitude barriers in action.

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This Goes Deeper Than You Might Think

One of the authors, Glenda Watson Hyatt, shared a moment from high school:

A guidance counselor asked if she’d rather walk or talk.

She answered, “Talk.”

Decades later, she still would—but now she understands the weight of that question. She realized that society sees physical disability differently than communication disability. Not being able to walk makes you visible. Not being able to speak can make you invisible.

And that’s the danger of attitude barriers. They make people disappear—not literally, but from conversations, decisions, friendships, and expectations.

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What Can We Do?

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✅ Start by Naming It

Ableism and speechism are real. When we assign value based on someone’s ability to speak in a typical way, we’re reinforcing a belief that their ideas and feelings matter less. Call it what it is—and work to unlearn it.

✅ Change What We Expect

Let’s shift from “Will this person ever talk?” to “What do they want to say, and how can I help them say it?”

✅ Normalize AAC in the Environment

Post visual supports. Use AAC yourself. Model in public. Show that AAC isn’t a backup—it’s communication.

✅ Include AAC Users Everywhere

In class projects. On the school news. In team meetings. In family decisions. Don’t just invite them—expect and prepare for their full participation.

✅ Support Relationships, Not Just Tasks

Some students with AAC have rich academic supports but no one to sit with at lunch. Communication is social. We need to help them build friendships, not just vocabulary sets.

✅ Amplify Real Stories

Share videos, blogs, and social media posts from AAC users themselves. Let their voices shape our mindset—not just what’s in the IEP.

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A Thought to Carry With You

Bob Williams, a lifelong AAC user and advocate, said:

“Many people lead lives of silence because others still find it difficult to believe they have anything to say.”

Let’s believe. Let’s expect. Let’s listen.

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In our next post, we’ll tackle Knowledge and Skill Barriers—because all the belief in the world doesn’t help if we don’t know how to support communication.