“The silence of speechlessness is never golden. We all need to communicate and connect with each other – not just in one way, but also in as many ways possible. It is a human need, a basic human right. And much more than this, it is a basic human power.” — Bob Williams.
AAC is a way to communicate without speech (alternative) or where speech is used together with another form of communication (augmentative). Any person whose daily communication needs are not met by speech or writing can benefit from AAC.
The purpose of AAC is to provide the person with a form of communication. This helps them to communicate their needs, wants and feelings. It may also positively influence their social skills, school performance, self-esteem, and generally improve their quality of life. AAC users should continue using speech if they are able to, as the system is used to enhance existing speech and only replace speech that is not yet developed.
Finding the right AAC system takes time and trial and error. The system may need to be modified as the person’s skills, needs, wants and context change.