AAC — Augmentative and Alternative Communication

AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) covers every communication method beyond speech — or that supplements speech when it isn't enough on its own. It includes: PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), communication boards with symbols/photos, speech-generating devices (high-tech), sign language, writing/typing, and communication apps on tablets and smartphones.

AAC is used by autistic people with limited or absent verbal communication, and by people with other conditions (cerebral palsy, ALS, aphasia). There's growing evidence that AAC doesn't hinder speech development — quite the opposite, it often supports it, since it takes pressure off a communication channel that's difficult to use.

The myth that AAC should only be used as a "last resort" once it's clear speech "won't develop" is increasingly being debunked. The current trend is to introduce AAC early as a support to communication, not a replacement for it.