October is AAC Awareness month! While we celebrate our clients with different communication needs throughout the year, we want to take this month to highlight AAC use.
What is AAC?
AAC stands for “augmentative and alternative communication.” Augmentative means to add to someone’s speech. Alternative refers to a type of communication used instead of speech.
AAC can be low-tech or high-tech. Low-tech options include gestures and facial expressions, writing, drawing, and pointing to pictures or written words. High-tech options include a speech-generating device or using an iPad to communicate, with apps such as Proloquo2Go, LAMP, and TouchChat.
How do music and art therapists incorporate AAC?
When first meeting a child in a music or art therapy assessment, we assess their current level of communication and determine if it would be an appropriate goal for therapy. If the client uses AAC, we incorporate that into the session— whether that’s a goal we track progress on, or it’s just what they use to communicate!
If a client uses pictures to communicate, we provide a visual schedule with pictures of instruments and materials that could be used in sessions. The client is able to point to their preferred activity if they don’t use speech to communicate.
If the client uses a tablet to communicate, the therapist will model how to use the device. This includes modeling choices such as “more” or “all done,” “yes” or “no,” “I like it” or “I don’t like it.” Children learn to communicate by observing people in their life and imitating them. The same goes for AAC users— it’s important to provide a model of what communicating on a tablet looks like.
In music therapy, clients also use their devices to sing. This could mean filling in words at the ends of phrases (i.e. You are my ______). For example, the client could pick animals to sing about in “Old McDonald,” or even use their AACD to make animal noises!
At the end of the day, each client has different needs and strengths when it comes to communication. That’s why we incorporate AAC into an individualized approach in music and art therapy!
