Communicative Functions: An Interdisciplinary Glossary

Different disciplines often use different words to refer to the same concepts. This can lead to confusion when collaborating as a team. We’re here to help!

We’ve compiled a list of verbal operants, their speech-language pathology equivalent terms, and examples to help ABA professionals and SLPs find common ground.

ABA Term

Speech Term

Examples

Mand

Request
  • Client says “help” on their AAC device to ask for assistance with their shoes.

Tact

Label
  • Client says “ball” on their AAC device while doing a picture naming activity.

Intraverbal

Answering “wh” questions (who, what, where, when)
or using Cloze Procedure (fill-in-the-blank).
  • Client says “mom” on their AAC device when asked, “Who lives at your house?”
  • Client says “round” on their AAC device when a communication partner says, “The wheels on the bus go round and ______.”

Echoic

Direct Imitation
  • Client says “I am 4” on their AAC device directly following a communication partner activating the same button.

Protest

Protest
  • Client says “No!” on their AAC device when it’s time to put a toy away.

Social Exchange

Comment
  • Child says “bird” on their AAC device when they spot a bird in the sky while on a walk.

When working with AAC users, we want to make sure we are modeling all communicative functions!

If you have questions about SLP terminology or about implementing AAC with your client, your client’s SLP can help! Our SLP Empowerment team is also here to answer any questions you have, big or small!

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