October is Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month

In addition to October being Community Inclusion Month, October is also AAC Awareness Month. In many ways, the two complement one another and raising awareness of AAC is very important for the individuals we serve, families and the wider community.

So how can we celebrate AAC Awareness Month? Here is a great list of 13 ways we can celebrate courtesy of PrAACtical AAC –

1. Participate on the #USSAAC Twitterchat on 10/13 at 7:00 pm EDT (UTC−04:00). New to Twitterchats? You can learn more here. The wonderful Chris Bugaj will be moderating.
2. Subscribe to a blog with an AAC content, such as Uncommon Sense, Jane Farrall Consulting, AAC Girls, or Superpower Speech
3. Follow a new AAC topical Pinterest board from Lauren Enders and others:  AAC and AT, AT/AAC/Adapt/Modify/Accessibility/Accommodations, AT for Communication, SLP AAC, & AugComm, AAC by Constantly Speaking, Communication-AAC
4. Print, hang, or give someone an AAC awareness image, 10 Commandments of AAC Devices, or 5 Tips for Communicating with Nonverbal Student
5. Register for a free AAC professional development webinar from Ablenet University
6. Print out an AAC Poster, like Lauren Enders’ AAC Boot Camp-Getting AAC Users to Communicate or Kate Ahern’s The Periodic Table of AAC,
7. Explore an AAC app or SGD that is new to you
8. Print out song visual supports
9. Read a Tar Heel Reader Book with an AAC learner
10. Use Aided Language Input while talking to AAC learners (for 10 minutes…. or more)
11. Learn more about AAC supports for challenging behavior
12. Consider providing an AAC training (browse Tabi Jones-Wohleber’s PPT material for inspiration)
13. Join the 8th annual AAC Chat and Read-a-Thon October 14-15

We hope you will consider trying out some of these 13 ideas above. There\’s lots to keep you busy in October and in the months beyond!