top of page

Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC)

AAC and Communication Support in Wollongong

 

Some children experience significant difficulty communicating using spoken language alone. AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) can help children communicate more effectively, participate more fully in everyday life and develop stronger language skills.

 

At Vibrance Speech Pathology, we support children across Wollongong and the Illawarra with a range of AAC approaches tailored to their communication strengths, needs and environments.

 

AAC may support children who:

  • are minimally speaking or non-speaking,

  • have unreliable verbal speech,

  • experience motor speech difficulties,

  • have autism or intellectual disability,

  • struggle to communicate effectively across settings,

  • or become frustrated when others cannot understand them.

 

We take a neurodiversity-affirming and participation-focused approach to AAC, recognising that all children deserve access to effective, meaningful communication.

 
What is AAC?

 

AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

 

AAC includes any method that supports communication beyond spoken speech.

 

AAC can include:

  • gestures,

  • facial expressions,

  • Key Word Sign,

  • picture symbols,

  • communication books,

  • PODD books,

  • speech generating devices,

  • apps,

  • switches,

  • and other communication systems.

 

AAC does not replace communication — it supports and expands it.

 

For many children, AAC provides a reliable way to:

  • express wants and needs,

  • interact socially,

  • comment,

  • ask questions,

  • learn language,

  • participate in education,

  • and build relationships.

 

Research shows that AAC can support communication and language development and does not prevent children from developing speech - if you'd like to read further, we recommend checking out the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association resources.

​

PODD Communication Books

 

At Vibrance Speech Pathology, we have a particular interest in, and have achieved wonderful success with, PODD (Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display) communication systems.

 

PODD is a robust AAC system that uses organised picture symbols within a communication book to support language development and communication participation.

 

PODD systems are designed to help children communicate for a wide range of reasons, including:

  • requesting,

  • commenting,

  • asking questions,

  • sharing ideas,

  • interacting socially,

  • telling stories,

  • expressing emotions,

  • and participating in learning.

 

Unlike systems that focus only on requesting, PODD supports the development of broader functional language and sentence development. It is also in a physical book format, rather than loaded onto an iPad (although that is an available option), meaning that it is never uncharged, doesn't provide unintended access to games, sounds or buttons, and doesn't rely on a screen.

​

We also supply and support the implementation of PODD communication books tailored to the child’s communication profile and access needs.

 
Supporting Communication Across Everyday Settings

 

One of the major advantages of symbol-based AAC systems such as PODD is that they can support communication across a wide range of environments and communication partners.

 

Many children communicate successfully with familiar family members, but experience difficulties being understood by:

  • teachers,

  • peers,

  • support workers,

  • extended family,

  • or community members.

 

Because PODD uses visual symbols organised in a consistent way, communication is often more accessible to unfamiliar communication partners than systems relying solely on gestures or signs.

 

For example:

  • Key Word Sign can be highly valuable, but communication partners must also understand the signs being used.

  • PODD uses visual symbols that can often be interpreted more easily by unfamiliar people across school, community and home settings.

 

This can support:

  • greater independence,

  • reduced communication breakdown,

  • increased participation,

  • stronger social connection,

  • and more consistent communication opportunities throughout the day.

 
AAC and Language Development

 

AAC is not only about “basic communication”.

 

Robust AAC systems can support the development of:

  • vocabulary,

  • sentence structure,

  • social interaction,

  • storytelling,

  • comprehension,

  • literacy foundations,

  • and expressive language.

 

Children learning AAC benefit from having access to language models throughout the day, just as speaking children hear spoken language around them.

 

For example, a child using PODD may learn to:

  • combine symbols into longer messages,

  • comment during play,

  • ask questions,

  • describe events,

  • participate in classroom activities,

  • and engage socially with peers.

 

AAC can reduce frustration while increasing opportunities for interaction, learning and meaningful participation.

 

For some children, AAC supports verbal language development alongside speech. For others, AAC becomes their primary method of communication. Both outcomes are valid and meaningful.

 
A Multimodal Communication Approach

 

Communication is multimodal.

 

Children may use:

  • speech,

  • AAC,

  • gestures,

  • signs,

  • facial expressions,

  • vocalisations,

  • and body language together.

 

At Vibrance Speech Pathology, we support children to communicate using the methods that are most effective, meaningful and accessible for them.

 

Our goal is not to force one “correct” way of communicating, but to support authentic communication, connection and participation.

​

Who Can Benefit from AAC?

 

AAC may benefit children who:

  • are non-speaking or minimally speaking,

  • have autism spectrum disorder,

  • have intellectual disability,

  • have Childhood Apraxia of Speech,

  • have developmental language disorder,

  • have cerebral palsy or motor difficulties,

  • experience significant speech intelligibility difficulties,

  • or struggle to communicate consistently across environments.

 

AAC can be introduced at any age and does not require a child to “fail” with speech before support is considered.

​

AAC Assessment and Support

 

AAC assessment may include:

  • understanding the child’s communication profile,

  • observing communication across environments,

  • assessing symbolic understanding and language,

  • considering motor and sensory access needs,

  • trialling communication systems,

  • collaborating with families, educators and support teams,

  • and identifying supports that are practical and sustainable for daily life.

 

Support may involve:

  • PODD implementation,

  • communication partner training,

  • parent coaching,

  • school collaboration,

  • AAC modelling strategies,

  • symbol selection,

  • low-tech and high-tech AAC systems,

  • and support for communication across everyday routines.

bottom of page