Status: Draft. Not indexed until reviewed.
AAC communication boards and devices: how to choose
What it is
AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) means ways to communicate besides speech: pictures, symbol boards, letter boards, devices and apps that speak words aloud. A child's speech-language pathologist (SLP) usually leads choosing a system, and schools may provide one through the IEP.
Why families use it
Picture boards and speech devices can give a child another way to express needs and choices.
Where to buy
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Safety, how to choose, and questions to ask
What we can and cannot say
ASHA describes AAC and the role of an SLP in choosing it. We make no claim about any one product.
Safety and background (sourced)
- ASHA explains that augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes no-tech, low-tech and high-tech options, from picture boards to speech-generating devices and apps, and that a speech-language pathologist can help choose a system. Source: ASHA: Augmentative and Alternative Communication
How to choose
- Ask your child's SLP for an AAC evaluation before buying anything expensive.
- Low-tech first is fine: a printed core-word board is cheap and works with no battery.
- For apps, check which device they run on, the one-time price or subscription, and whether there is a free trial.
- Check whether vocabulary can grow with your child and be backed up.
- Ask the school whether it can provide or fund a device through the IEP.
- Make sure everyone (home, school, family) can use and model the same system.
Questions to ask your child's clinician or school team
- Can my child have an AAC evaluation?
- Can the school provide a device or app through the IEP?
- How can we all model the same system at home and school?
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