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Augmentative & alternative communication devices (AAC)

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FREE
​Augmentative & Alternative Communication
(AAC)

For Children & Adults
(Some may be used interchangeably)



​AAC for Adults
​

Below are various types of communication boards for adults who may not be able to communicate using their voice. These types of boards are extremely important to arm yourselves with when your loved one who may have difficulty communicating for any reason and is in the hospital. The patient needs to have efficient means of communication with medical professionals during hospital stays. AAC boards will allow the patient to not only communicate with loved ones and caregivers but most importantly they will allow the patient to communicate their wants and needs to their nurses and doctors while in the hospital.

There are various different kinds of Communication Devices which is why we refer to it as AAC (Augmentitive & Alternative Communication Devices). What you see below is called "low tech" ie, paper/pen, pictures, hand gestures,etc. High tech can be anything that speaks for the person by pressing a button (which most apps on the iphone do now) or a blink of an eye from the patient or even a blow through a straw; anything that requires a battery. Those devices are very "high tech"! The patient's using them have to have a certain amount of cognitive awareness, in other words, they need to understand how to use the device as well as understand the language they will express through the device. If you are unsure if they need a high tech device, you may want to call in an AAC professional to do an evaluation for an adult or a child. They are more adept at knowing what type of device is best for your patient.

​The BEST device is what we call a "multi-modal" approach which incorporates as many different ways to communicate as possible. In other words, it provides the patient many different options for communication in case there is miscommunication or difficulty communicating. These can include your high tech device, a quick AAC board, a dry erase board, a pen and paper, or a simple yes/no board. Anything to make communication easier for both parties.

Working in various Hospitals or SNF's. I've come to notice that this is something that is often either forgotten or simply not dealt with by hospital staff. That is why I created this page. Advocate for your patients or your relative. There's no wrong way to assemble the communication board, but teaching it can be somewhat difficult. Get the communication board and contact your local speech therapist to begin the process.

After looking through the pre-made AAC boards on this page, if you can not find what you are looking for in the Adult or Child section, please feel free to contact Amy at help@amyspeechlanguagetherapy.com to discuss what you are specifically looking for!




How to use AAC
​Augmentative Communication Boards
​

When speech-language pathologists receive a consult for AAC in acute care, they go to the bedside and rapidly determine what a patient can do, including cognitive and physical abilities and limitations. In an acute care situation, and even not, you're looking to build upon what's easiest for the patients as far as cognitive, emotional, linguistically, as well as physically. If they just had a stroke and may be having weakness/numbness in an extremity then an AAC board with a lot of options may not be the best choice as pointing may prove to difficult initially. However, it won't kill you to try different ones if you are not sure what will work! Always print and bring a few different options with you.

In Acute care it's vital to consider pt's current medications, along with the chart review and current mental status. I once did a bedside follow up while I was being supervised. My supervisor saw him the day before and said he was completely fluent (tho keeping this information from me at first). When I went to see him, he was completely unresponsive to any stimuli I presented. His brother was there and told me he'd been following directions. I immediately pulled out a simple AAC board and taught him how to use it. THAT he was stimulable for and was able to use. However when I reported in to my Supervisor his immediate response was shock, then yelling at me (thinking what did I do) so he ran with me to the pt's room to see he was as I had explained (at the time his Dx was questionable, but I suggested Global Aphasia due to the presentation). My Supervisor then continued to teach me an extremely memorable moment that the person he was seeing in the room that day was not the person he saw the day before. We went to the chart (which I had reviewed) but took a much closer look at what had incurred during the patients' last day. His medications jumped out at us. We spoke to the Doctors asking about when he took what, why, how long, and we described what we saw; a man who was completely functional go to completely dysfunctional. It turned out there was another medication choice and we suggested the Dr. choose option B due to the circumstances.

I know as SLP's we don't always know what the medications are or mean, but 1, you learn as time goes on, and 2, at least write them down so you can reference them.

Patients may need to communicate with a wide range of hospital staff, including nurses, physicians, occupational and physical therapists, social workers and audiologists and of course, family members.

The more familiar speech-language pathologists are with AAC techniques, the better advocates they become for augmented communication in acute care. "We first need to make sure to have staff in hospitals that have training and experience with assistive technology and AAC," Dr. Hurtig said. "Unfortunately, if one takes a look at the caseload of most hospital-based speech-language pathologists, the overwhelming part of their scope of practice relates to swallowing. Less and less of their typical caseloads involve language assessment intervention."

"To integrate AAC into acute care, we need to have staff members that are trained, a commitment on the part of the institution to meet certain standards. All health care personnel who interact with patients should be familiar with AAC techniques, especially nurses, he said. "Nursing administration and acute care nurses understand how important AAC is and are very open and supportive in providing assistive technology and AAC to patients. They're the strongest advocates in the system."




​Communication boards AAC for Hospital stays

hospital_1.pdf
File Size: 163 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

hospital_2_.pdf
File Size: 154 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Alphabet Boards & Yes/No

abc_hospitalboard_dowdocx.pdf
File Size: 33 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

abc_hospitalboard_color.pdf
File Size: 29 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

abc_hospitalboardbw.pdf
File Size: 28 kb
File Type: pdf
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abc_board.pdf
File Size: 63 kb
File Type: pdf
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Fill in booklet

aug-cc-booklet-1.pdf
File Size: 3341 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Accident & Emergency Communication Board

a-e_communication_passport.pdf
File Size: 284 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File




FREE
Communication Boards

for Children

Picture
Below are examples of various types of PECS (Picture Exchange Communication Symbols) communication boards made for children to enhance communication. who may have difficulty communicating verbally or whats known as the traditional way.  It is highly encouraged to model verbal communication and gestures (multi-modality) while using PECS and any other type of communication board in the hopes that the child will take in that vocabulary receptively and hopefully one day, expressively. 

Pictures and picture symbols can be used for a variety of reasons/activities.  You can use them as part of a communication system, for scheduling purposes, for social stories, and to support literature (to name just a few).  I like to use a combination of real photos and picture symbols.  Some children will need the concrete nature of the photographs, and others will pick up the abstract drawings without difficulty.  Many times I use photographs because I can’t find a picture symbol that adequately illustrates the item I want to represent.

Individuals with Aspergers' Syndrome may also find AAC pictures useful in many different ways (Ie) assisting in processing information as visual aids, etc. as they often face challenges related to their ability to interpret certain social cues, relating to others, and Executive Function skills. Executive Functioning includes skills such as organizing, planning, sustaining attention, and inhibiting inappropriate responses.




Different ways to use
Low-tech devices
​AAC Boards

There are many different ways that you can print these low tech communication boards.  Mostly dependent on the childs'needs, ability and the use.  Therefore you must always consider each child individually and conduct an AAC evaluation. 



Wants/Needs Communication Boards/AAC Boards
​



I want Communication Board/AAC Board

planning_board.pdf
File Size: 164 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

First/Then Communication Boards/AAC Boards

howto-firstthen.pdf
File Size: 475 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Calming Communication Boards/AAC Boards

calming_boards_page1.pdf
File Size: 244 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Communicating Feelings; Communication Board/AAC Boards

feelings1.pdf
File Size: 85 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

feelings2.pdf
File Size: 78 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Communicating Actions; Communication Board/AAC Boards

actions1.pdf
File Size: 85 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

actions2.pdf
File Size: 82 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

actions3.pdf
File Size: 88 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Communicating Wanting/Labeling Toys/AAC Boards

toys1.pdf
File Size: 78 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

toys2.pdf
File Size: 85 kb
File Type: pdf
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toys5.pdf
File Size: 85 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File



Feeding/Food Communication Boards/AAC Boards



Kitchen Communication Board/AAC Board

kitchen_board.pdf
File Size: 399 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Food Pictures Communication Boards/AAC Boards

food1.pdf
File Size: 76 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Breakfast Communication Boards/AAC Boards

amy_breakfast.pdf
File Size: 43 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Lunch Communication Boards/AAC Boards

amy_lunch1.pdf
File Size: 42 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

amy_lunch2.pdf
File Size: 47 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

amy_lunch3.doc
File Size: 46 kb
File Type: doc
Download File

Snacks Communication Boards/AAC Boards

amy_snack1.pdf
File Size: 51 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

amy_snack2.pdf
File Size: 47 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

amy_snack_3.docx
File Size: 21 kb
File Type: docx
Download File



Bathroom Routine Communication Boards/AAC Boards

bathroom_routine_simple.pdf
File Size: 30 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Grooming Communication Boards/AAC Boards

grooming2.pdf
File Size: 86 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Body Parts Communication Board/AAC Boards

bodyparts1.pdf
File Size: 77 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File



Seasonal Communication Boards/AAC Boards
​



Summer Vocabulary Communication Boards/AAC Boards

summer-vocabulary-words.pdf
File Size: 129 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Christmas Vocabulary Communication Boards/AAC Boards

christmas-vocabulary.pdf
File Size: 160 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

christmas-vocabulary-2.pdf
File Size: 90 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Mixed Holiday Communication Boards/AAC Boards

holidays1.pdf
File Size: 97 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

holidays2.pdf
File Size: 101 kb
File Type: pdf
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holidays3.pdf
File Size: 94 kb
File Type: pdf
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holidays4.pdf
File Size: 86 kb
File Type: pdf
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holidays5.pdf
File Size: 91 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File



Hospital Stays/Operation Communication Boards/AAC Boards
​



Child Hospital Stay/Operation Booklet Communication Boards/AAC Boards

child_daycase_operation_booklet.pdf
File Size: 204 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Child Hospital Stay/Operation Flashcards Communication Boards/AAC Boards

It is ideal to print these cards, laminate them, hole punch one punch in the top left hand corner, and put these flashcards on a "ring"/key chain so the child can easily flip through them. 
child_daycase_operation_flashcards.pdf
File Size: 331 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Child Hospital Stay/Post-Operative Chart Communication Boards/AAC Boards

child_daycase_operation_post-op_chart.pdf
File Size: 107 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Accident & Emergency Communication Board/AAC Boards

a-e_communication_passport.pdf
File Size: 284 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File



Learning Materials for Children with
Autistic/PDD



Teaching New Skills 

teachingnewskills.pdf
File Size: 131 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Bedside Messages Provided by Patient Provider/Communication

Bedside Messages
bedsidemessages.pdf
File Size: 205 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File



AAC Websites & Resources



1.  I think whenever possible, it's always a great idea to go onto google images and print lifelike, concrete pictures for the adult or child.  It's cheap, it's easy, and it's most adapt to real life. 

2.  Boardmaker Software Family The possibilities are endless with this traditional program by Mayer Johnson featuring PECS.  There is then an additional website called Boardmaker Share www.boardmakershare.com/ where teachers/SLP's etc share their already made PECS boards as they are the widely used but sometimes time consuming brand.

3. LessonPix Custom Learning Materials
http://lessonpix.com/ is a web-based program that allows users to create picture symbols and a large variety of other materials for learning. With Boardmaker you can create your own board, add your images, while with LessonPix you cannot create your own board designs, but they offer a ton of pre-made activities.. 

4.  Wikipedia has an article on PECS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_Exchange_Communication_SystemWelcome to PECS USA
Exclusive home of PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) and the Pyramid Approach to Education. Internationally acclaimed workshops and ...
www.pecsusa.com/‎

5.  Example of high tech devices from one company called "Dynavox" http://www.dynavoxtech.com/start/autism/

6.  Accessible Curriculum Resources 
7.  Autism Helper 
8,  AT4Kids AAC 
9.  Baltimore County Public Schools
10.  Chapel Hill Snippets 
11.  Children with Special Needs
12.  CurriculmSET
13.  FLDRS Region 3 Literacy Visuals
14.  LiveSpeakLove 
15.   NYC Adapted Books 
16.  OATC Exchange
17.  PictureSET 
18.  PrAACtical AAC Toolbox
19.  Practical Autism Resources
20.  Project Participate
21.  SCOPE See and Sign Nursery Rhymes
22.  Speaking of Speech 
23.  Spectronics NZ Activities Exchange
24.  University at New Mexico Story Boards
25.  Widget
26.  Below is a document titled Applications List provided by www.aphasia.org that provides APPs as AAC devices.  



applicationslist.pdf
File Size: 166 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Reference

  1. Bartlett, G., Blais, R., Tamblyn, R., et al. (2008) Impact of patient communication problems on the risk of preventable adverse events in acute care settings. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 178 (2).


Amy Speech & Language Therapy, Inc.
amyreinsteinslp@gmail.com
​
ph: 561-739-2024



Copyright © 2020 Amy Speech Language Therapy. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • Speech Therapy Materials Store
    • Free SLP Downloads
  • Dysphagia
    • The Normal Swallowing Process
    • Brain & Cranial Nerves
    • Guidelines for Safe Swallowing
    • Imaging Examinations
    • Dysphagia Diagnosis
    • Hydration
    • Dysphagia Diets
    • Oral Care/Oral Hygiene
    • Predictors of Aspiration Pneumonia (AP)
    • Dysphagia Treatment Strategies >
      • Tube Feeding
  • Language
    • Developmental Milestones
    • Early Language Learning
    • Enhance Your Child's Communication
  • Aphasia
    • Symptoms of a Stroke
    • Language After Stroke
    • Aphasia Treatment
  • AAC
  • Autism
    • Therapy
    • Sensorimotor
    • Stimulation
  • Feeding
    • Oral Motor
    • GI Disorders in Pediatric Feeding
    • Drooling
  • Articulation vs Phonological
    • Speech Sound Development
    • Articulation Therapy Materials
  • Literacy
    • Reading
    • Processing Disorders
    • Literacy Treatment
    • Phonemic Awareness Treatment
  • Voice
    • Voice Tips
    • Voice Therapy
    • Voice Modifications
  • Motor Speech Disorders/Dysarthrias
    • Classifications of the Dysarthrias
  • Stuttering
    • Normal Fluency Development
    • Enhance Fluency at Home
    • Deal with Stuttering Effectively
  • Speech & Language Therapy Treatment Materials
    • Speech Therapy Material Links >
      • AAC
      • Speech Therapy APPS
  • Resources
  • Blog/News
  • Patient Advance Directives
  • The Speech & Swallow Clinic of South Florida
    • Speech and Language Services & Payment Options
    • Client History Forms
    • About Us >
      • Contact Us
      • Sponsorship & Collaboration
  • Contact Us
  • Speech Store