AAC

AAC Is Concept Access, Not Just Symbol Access

Many AAC interventions focus on vocabulary, device navigation, symbol selection, and communication opportunities. Those pieces matter, but for students with visual impairments and CVI, another question is essential: Does the student understand the concept represented by the symbol?

A learner may find a button, activate a symbol, or imitate modeled language without understanding the underlying idea. The word MORE, for example, represents continuation, increase, repetition, and quantity. Those meanings develop through repeated experiences, not the button alone.

The AAC access framework

Teams should examine vision access, concept knowledge, symbol understanding, motor access, and communication use. Poor AAC performance should not be assumed to reflect cognitive limitation until each layer has been explored.

TVI and SLP collaboration

The SLP brings expertise in communication and language. The TVI brings expertise in visual access, tactile access, experience access, and concept development. Together with families, the team can create communication opportunities that are meaningful, accessible, and functional.