Course Description:

Long-perceived as a last resort intervention, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is now understood as an important component of a practitioner’s toolkit for supporting communication, language, and social-emotional development in young children including infants and toddlers. The ubiquitous nature of technology has prompted development of tools and resources that make it easier than ever to access and implement a wide range of communication tools, from paper-based to technology-based, to support both receptive and expressive language development and foster high-quality interactions between children and their caregivers.

This session will provide an overview of best practices in AAC implementation, unpack myths related to AAC (including AAC and EI), and provide practitioners a starting place for selecting, using, and supporting families to use AAC in routines and interactions across their day. Participants will engage in interactive activities to unpack their belief systems around AAC, and explore basic communication tools, organization and functions. Qualitative evaluation tools will be introduced to aid the development of IFSP outcomes related to use of AAC.

This session is the first of a 3 part series to inform practitioners of the characteristics of AAC tools and strategies that support the natural language development process, expand understandings about the flexible nature of AAC as a “tool for many”, and inspire appreciation of the discovery of a child’s authentic voice through AAC.