As soon as October rolls around, the Speech & Language Department at P.G. Chambers School gets overly excited for Trick-or-Suites and this year, we took a spin on the Ghostbusters and dressed up as the “AAC MythBusters.” Along with our Proton packs, we held signs with various myths about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and wanted to share the rationale behind some of their meanings. In the words of Dr. Egon Spengler, “You said before you were waiting for a sign…” well, here they are!
Myth #1: There are prerequisites for children to learn AAC.
FALSE. Everyone is entitled to a means of communication and research indicates that there are “no cognitive or prerequisite skills required to learn AAC” (ASHA, 2023). Our teams at P.G. Chambers School find it essential to collaborate with you when determining an appropriate means of communication for your child. There are a range of AAC devices and once an AAC device or system is determined it can be learned through modeling and teaching. Remember, teamwork makes the dream work so the more exposure and opportunities your child has when using an AAC device the faster they will learn to use it for communication! Learn more through this video.
Myth #2: Everyone should use the same AAC system.
FALSE. Every child is unique and P.G. Chambers School prides itself on working together as a team when selecting an AAC device. We select an AAC device that individually meets the needs of your child using a method called, “feature matching.” Feature matching is a collaborative process which involves using strategies to gather relevant information about a client’s communication and sensorimotor abilities and applying AAC expertise to match the appropriate array of AAC options that offer features relevant for meeting the person’s needs and skills (Marx., A & Locast, M.). This process ensures we select an AAC device that matches your child’s preferences, rather than have your child adapt to an AAC device that is challenging for them to utilize – one size does not fit all!
Myth #3: Using AAC will stop speech from developing.
FALSE. This is a very common perception, but research studies have proven the exact opposite. AAC can increase speech. An AAC device provides an immediate model of the words that can be utilized to communicate when a child is having word finding difficulties and/or displays challenges with speech production. Verbal speech and AAC are not mutually exclusive. Everyday we all use multiple forms of communication, such as gestures (e.g., waving, pointing, etc.), facial expressions, and body language. We use different forms of communication depending on what we feel is appropriate at the time to get our point across to the listener (TobiiDynavox, 2016). AAC users are no different than children who communicate using verbal speech and should be given the ability to choose how they wish to autonomously communicate.
If you are interested in learning more about the remaining myths, you can reach out to your child’s speech language pathologist, or read more about it through these resources:
And remember.. Who are you going to call? The AAC MythBusters if you have any other questions.
Author: Laura Valerio, Speech Language Pathologist at P.G. Chambers School
Resources:
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2003). Position statement on the roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists in the identification and management of individuals with hearing loss. https://www.asha.org/policy/ps2003-00227/?srsltid=AfmBOorRrMPt2qWYJ60-m_-2jin4GfG7bVPQIsmGGiqfs_CFZaorWJLU#d4e86
- Marx, A. & Locast, M. University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics: AAC Glossary of Terms. Retrieved from: https://www.aacpdm.org/UserFiles/file/IC2-Marx-2.pdf
- Tobii Dynavox. (2016). AAC will negatively impact speech myth. Tobii Dynavox. https://download.mytobiidynavox.com/MyTobiiDynavox/td-myths-aac-and-speech.pdf