Who can benefit from AAC?
AAC is for any person who has either limited use of speech or who has no use of speech to communicate. Many people who require AAC are considered to have complex communication needs. Both children and adults can have complex communication needs as a result of either congenital or acquired disabilities such as:
- cerebral palsy
- intellectual disability
- autism spectrum disorders
- developmental language delays
- genetic syndromes
- apraxia
- dysarthria
- traumatic brain injury
- stroke
- ALS
- tracheostomy
In some cases AAC will be a permanent part of a person’s communication system, whereas for others it will be temporary. In all cases it is necessary that an individualized AAC system be developed to meet the person’s needs in all environments. A proper AAC assessmentcan help determine the best communication system for a person with complex communication needs.