April is World Autism Month! World Autism Month aims to promote Autism acceptance so that those with autism have adequate support to be themselves (Autism Society, n.d.). It is a time to celebrate the unique abilities and contributions of people with autism, while also recognizing the challenges they face. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person interacts, acts, communicates, and learns (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.-a). Did you know? Approximately 1 in 44 children have been identified as having Auti ..read more

Forbes AAC continuously strives for innovation and accessibility. Forbes AAC premium boards and AAC NOW! program aims to transform the landscape of communication for individuals with complex communication needs. Forbes AAC Premium Boards are designed to cater to the unique needs of individuals with complex communication needs. These boards, developed by experts in the field, offer a range of features and functionalities designed to enhance communication efficiency and effectiveness. There are four different premium board sets, including CoreWord™, Symbol Links, Quick Core Pro, and Vocal Flair ..read more

March marks a significant period in the calendar as it is dedicated to raising awareness about cerebral palsy (CP), a neurological condition affecting movement, coordination, muscle tone, and posture. It is a time to shed light on the challenges faced by individuals with cerebral palsy and recognize their strengths, resilience, and unique abilities. Amidst the observance of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, it is essential to spotlight the role of AAC in empowering those with cerebral palsy to communicate effectively and actively participate in society. Cerebral palsy is a diverse group of diso ..read more

AAC has revolutionized the way individuals with complex communication needs interact with the world around them. AAC systems encompass a range of tools and strategies, including symbols, gestures, speech-generating devices, and more, to support effective communication. Among these, symbolic representation plays a pivotal role in facilitating meaningful communication for individuals with complex communication needs. Symbolic representation refers to the ability to understand and use symbols to convey meaning (ASHA, n.d.). These symbols can take various forms, such as pictures, icons, words, or ..read more

Using AAC involves more than what people see when they initially look at someone who has complex communication needs. AAC use is not simply pressing buttons on a speech-generating device. Using AAC is a complex process that requires unique skills. Communicative competence is a construct which is dynamic and relative based on communication adequacy, communication functionality, and sufficiency of judgment, knowledge, and skill in four interrelated areas which include linguistic competence, social competence, operational competence, and strategic competence (Light, 1989). Operational and lingu ..read more

Are you feeling “stuck” in the AAC implementation process? Do you feel like your communicator has plateaued in their communication and language skill growth? Are you and/your communicator tired of working on the same goals that they have had for months or even years? Has your communicator outgrown their current goals and now they are irrelevant? Do you simply need to create goals for your communicator from scratch Whether you are a professional, educator, parent, or caregiver to an individual with complex communication needs, you may have answered “yes!” to one or more of these questions. I ..read more

Life looks very different over holiday breaks than it does when school is in session. Relaxation, lack of structure, and holiday festivities replace formal learning and structured activities, which can result in regression, especially for individuals with complex communication needs. Goals and activities that have built the communication skills throughout the academic year are often forgotten in the midst of holiday festivities and activities. But need not that be true! What if infusing one highly engaging language activity into your existing routines and holiday traditions could prevent the a ..read more

Do you wonder why a clinician recommends an AAC system that the communicator did not demonstrate AAC proficiency during the AAC assessment? Are you worried that your communicator will not know how to use the AAC system when it arrives because they have never been exposed to AAC before they had an AAC assessment? Have no fear! Clinicians inherently consider such things during the AAC assessment process. The Participation Model was developed to guide AAC assessment and intervention by identifying participation barriers and supports for the communicator (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013). The Parti ..read more

Spooky season is upon us! October is a time for all things spooky.….not only spooky Halloween costumes and haunted houses, but also spooky stories and movies. Since October is also AAC Awareness Month, it is only fitting to find and capture the Myth Man who spreads false information about AAC to families and professionals of those with complex communication needs and therefore, interfering with the AAC implementation process. The Myth Man Detective is here to investigate and solve Myth Man cases and free all voices to be heard loud and clear. The Myth Man Detective uses clinical research from ..read more

AAC Awareness Month is celebrated every October to raise awareness about AAC and inform the public about the many different ways people communicate, including using speech-generating devices (SGDs). From ISSAC (International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication), this year's theme is “Say what? Sharing your most memorable moments with AAC.” With AAC, communication can happen at any time - with AAC Awareness Month it's an opportunity to share your AAC stories with the world! Learn more here: International AAC Awareness Month We posed the big question to AAC users and SLPs ..read more