Supporting Communication and Self-Advocacy With AAC🔗

Today, we’re going to learn about supporting communication and self-advocacy. This presentation is brought to you by the AbleNet Customer Empowerment Team.

In this session, we’ll:

• Learn how to use AAC to support communication and self-regulation.
• Understand the importance of low-tech communication backups.
• Explore strategies for responding to common AAC-related behaviors.

The Role of AAC in Regulation🔗

During moments of frustration and dysregulation, communicating wants and needs can become very difficult. Language may feel out of reach.

AAC can help bridge this gap by supporting self-advocacy and regulation, but it’s important to be intentional about when communication skills are taught.

Teach During Calm Moments🔗

New skills should be introduced when individuals are regulated, calm, and ready to learn, not during moments of significant dysregulation.

Recognize Early Signs🔗

Pay attention to changes that may occur before dysregulation, such as:

• Increased stimming
• Changes in body language
• Changes in verbalizations or vocalizations

Recognizing these signs early allows communication supports to be modeled proactively.

Follow Through Immediately🔗

Only model requests or protests that can be honored right away.

For example, if a student covers their ears because the room is too loud, you might model:

• Loud
• Stop
• Don’t like
• All done

Then immediately lower the volume or stop the noise source.

Focus on Regulation First🔗

If a student is already dysregulated, prioritize supporting regulation rather than teaching new language.

After the situation has passed, you can revisit the situation and model language such as:

• “I didn’t like that.”
• “I needed a break.”

What Should We Teach🔗

AAC users benefit from learning a variety of communication functions.

Protesting🔗

Examples include:

• Stop
• No
• Don’t do that

Expressing Opinions🔗

Examples include:

• This is too loud
• I don’t like it

Expressing Feelings🔗

AAC absolutely belongs in gym class.

Examples include:

• I’m tired
• Scary
• I feel sick

Offering Choices🔗

Offer choices that can be immediately honored:

• “We can take a walk or sit in the beanbag chair.”
• “We can swing or blow bubbles.”

Remember: one-word models can be just as powerful as full sentences.

Personalizing the Device🔗

AAC systems should reflect the individual’s needs and preferences.

Consider adding:

• Favorite activities
• Preferred sensory experiences
• Safe people
• Favorite places
• Favorite items
• Favorite music

Helpful self-advocacy phrases might include:

• I need a break
• I need space

The Importance of Lite-Tech Backups🔗

If high-tech AAC is unavailable due to:

• Dead batteries
• Device damage
• Water activities
• Other accessibility challenges

Lite-tech communication boards can provide continued access to communication.

Best Practices for Lite-Tech Supports🔗

• Print core boards or personalized pages.
• Model on the board the same way you would on a device.
• Pair pointing with spoken language.
• Keep copies in multiple locations.
• Update boards whenever vocabulary changes.

Low-tech boards can also be useful when a user prefers others not touch their personal device.

Common AAC-Related Behaviors🔗

Stimming and AAC🔗

Stimming may look like:

• Repeatedly selecting the same icon
• Repeatedly tapping the screen

Stimming can support:

• Emotional regulation
• Sensory regulation
• Joy and excitement

Helpful Strategies

• Respect and accept stimming.
• Engage with the repeated selection.
• Presume the behavior has meaning.
• Never remove the device because of stimming.

Supporting these communication attempts helps build trust and rapport.

Device Possessiveness🔗

Some AAC users may not want others touching their device.

This can actually be a positive sign because they recognize the device as their personal voice.

Helpful Strategies

• Use low-tech backups for modeling.
• Narrate where words are located.
• Use alternative modeling methods, such as another device or a printed board.

Refusing to Use the Device🔗

Refusal may include:

• Pushing the device away
• Ignoring the device
• Avoiding AAC use

Helpful Strategies

• Reduce demands.
• Model without expectations.
• Remove pressure to respond.
• Add motivating vocabulary.

Try including:

• Favorite foods
• Favorite toys
• Favorite shows
• Pets
• Family members
• Friends

Most importantly, remember that refusal is still communication.

Throwing or Damaging the Device🔗

If a user throws or damages the device, try to understand the reason behind the behavior.

Consider whether:

• The student is dysregulated
• The device was simply the nearest object
• The behavior is unrelated to AAC

Helpful Strategies

• Use shoulder straps or cross-body carrying options when appropriate.
• Offer safe replacement behaviors.
• Use preferred regulation strategies.
• Reflect on whether expectations around AAC are too high.
• Continue providing access through low-tech backups.

Key Takeaways🔗

• Never take away an AAC device; it’s the user’s voice!
• Always have updated low-tech communication backups available.
• Model a variety of communication functions consistently.
• Teach self-advocacy and protesting proactively.
• Personalize AAC vocabulary to match the individual’s interests and needs.
• Focus on communication, not compliance.
• Support regulation first and communication learning second during difficult moments.

When AAC users have access to communication tools, self-advocacy language, and supportive communication partners, they are better equipped to express their needs, regulate emotions, and participate more independently in their everyday lives.