AAC SERVICES

Augmentative & Alternative Communication Assessments and Therapy

At Little Warriors Therapy Center, we believe every child deserves a way to communicate. For children who have difficulty expressing themselves through spoken language, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can provide a powerful way to share their wants, needs, thoughts, feelings, ideas, and personality.

AAC includes many forms of communication that supplement or support speech, ranging from gestures, signs, pictures, and communication boards to robust speech-generating devices and communication apps. AAC may be appropriate for children who are minimally speaking, have limited or inconsistent verbal speech, are difficult to understand, or need additional support to communicate successfully across environments.

AAC Assessments

Our comprehensive AAC assessments are individualized to each child. Rather than simply selecting a device or app, we evaluate the child's overall communication abilities and determine which communication supports best match their unique strengths, needs, motor abilities, sensory preferences, and daily environments.

An AAC assessment may include evaluation of:

Receptive and expressive language skills
Current methods of communication
Speech and motor-speech abilities
Functional communication skills
Ability to request, reject, comment, ask questions, gain attention, and participate socially
Symbol understanding and representation
Access methods, including direct selection when appropriate
Navigation between vocabulary pages
Core and fringe vocabulary use
Ability to combine words or symbols to create messages
Communication breakdowns and repair strategies
Communication needs across home, school, and community settings
Trials of appropriate AAC systems, applications, or speech-generating devices

When appropriate, we can assist families with identifying and obtaining a dedicated speech-generating device and collaborate with caregivers, educators, and other members of the child's team.

AAC Therapy

AAC intervention is about much more than teaching a child to press buttons on a device. Our goal is to help each child become a confident and independent communicator.

Therapy is individualized and incorporated into motivating, child-led activities and natural interactions. We model language on the child's AAC system while continuing to encourage and honor all forms of communication, including speech, gestures, facial expressions, signs, and AAC.

Treatment may target:

Increasing spontaneous and independent communication
Expanding vocabulary
Combining words and symbols into longer messages
Requesting, protesting, commenting, and sharing information
Asking and answering questions
Making choices and expressing opinions
Initiating and maintaining interactions
Developing social communication skills
Repairing communication breakdowns
Navigating the AAC system more independently
Using AAC across people, activities, and environments
Supporting continued development of verbal speech when appropriate

Caregiver & Communication Partner Coaching

Successful AAC intervention extends beyond the therapy room. We work closely with parents, caregivers, teachers, and other communication partners to teach strategies such as aided language modeling and to create natural opportunities for meaningful communication throughout the child's day.

Our goal is not simply for a child to use an AAC device. Our goal is for each child to experience the power of being understood, making choices, connecting with others, and having a voice in their world.