Hello everyone my name is Claire. Welcome to the Communication Toolbox
Today's video is all about frequently asked questions regarding augmentative
alternative communication from parents, therapists and teachers. So I hope you
enjoy today's video - Hopefully it'll answer some of those questions for you as well.
So thanks for coming in today. I know you had some questions for me about AAC?
yeah I did, I just wonder really
what AAC actually is? That's a great question AAC stands for augmentative
alternative communication so this means that it can be 'in addition to' spoken
language or 'instead of' spoken language. So overall AAC includes all of the
different ways we communicate and send messages apart from using speech. So AAC
can include gesture, sign language, written messages, picture communication
systems and communication devices as well. Ethan does have some words so would
he need AAC? Well remember we were saying AAC
stands for augmentative and alternative so that can mean 'in addition to' or 'instead of'
spoken language and AAC is actually very useful for anyone who has difficulty
expressing themselves clearly in their everyday life; like I know
that some people use AAC because they have difficulties with speech clarity so
they might not feel understood by everyone that they meet particularly
unfamiliar listeners but then other people who I know that use AAC they
actually have quite good spoken language but you know they might have
difficulty initiating communication in or they might have difficulty in
particular communication environments where the demands on their communication
skills are quite high and they might need their AAC there. Yeah, so I suppose I
would be a bit concerned or worried that Ethan might stop talking if he used AAC
Okay, Yeah and that's a concern many people
have but you can be reassured that you know the best approach to support anyone
to develop their communication is to support all of the different types of
functional communication and you know you could be further reassured that
research does suggest that AAC does not hinder speech development. In fact it's
suggesting that it actually helps further progress speech development and
I suppose how does that is AAC provides the child with a model of language from
their perspective and that helps them to learn things like you know how to build
a sentence, word finding and it really helps grow and expand their
communication. So if Ethan was going to use AAC would he be on that forever.
You know it's it all depends AAC it's definitely not always a lifelong
strategy you know some children use AAC while they're still developing their
spoken language and that happens then they no longer use their AAC system
because it's always easier to use words but then other children may always use
AAC as their primary means of communication and you know it's
difficult to predict the course of someone's communication development but
what's really important is to get in there early and provide the person or
the child with a range of communication tools so that they can you know
make themselves understood and get their message across no matter where they are
and no matter who they're with