How does AAC help?
AAC systems can help people who cannot speak to: • communicate (our most powerful skill) – “If all of my possessions were taken from me with one exception, I would choose to keep the power of communication, for by it I would regain all the rest” [Webster, Daniel. Politician & orator (1782 1852] • develop language skills • decrease frustration • increase socialisation – “To me and others like me, being able to communicate puts us in society. It lets us have a voice. For me, having a Liberator (voice output device) has changed my life completely.” [McFadden (1995) – refer to the CALL Centre Education link in the Related External Links list on this page] • increase participation • have control over what happens to them. AAC might be suggested: • if speech is slow to develop • as a back-up if speech is difficult to understand • as a way of communicating most of the time if speech ability is very limited or non-existent • to help develop understanding of delayed language.
