Guidelines for Communicating with a Person who Uses AAC

You donít need special skills to communicate with a person who uses an AAC system. Remember that a person who cannot speak does not necessarily have a hearing or cognitive problem. The following tips will assist in communicating effectively.

• Make eye contact.


• Speak directly to the AAC user, not to the person who may be accompanying her.


• Use everyday language, rather than jargon.


• Use concrete language, not figures of speech or metaphors.


• Do not speak loudly, slowly, or in an otherwise condescending manner.


• Ask the AAC user to show you how he communicates ìyesî and ìno.î


• Ask the AAC user to show you how she communicates using the AAC system.


• If necessary, ask the AAC user if you can look for directions on how he communicates. These directions are often on the AAC userís tray or in his communication binder.


• Give the AAC user time to communicate. Using an AAC system takes more time than speaking.


• Do not keep talking to fill the silence after youíve asked a question. It takes time to construct a message using AAC. Try to feel comfortable with the silences.


• If you are short on time and cannot communicate with the AAC user, be honest and reschedule the appointment for a day when you do have more time.

If the AAC user is using a communication display:

• Say out loud each word that the AAC user selects so that he knows you have the correct word.


• Do not interrupt when the AAC user is in the middle of conveying a message.


• Write down the words that the AAC user is communicating to make it easier to remember long messages.


• If you are not sure when the AAC user is finished, ask her, “Are you finished?”


• When the AAC user has finished communicating, say the words out loud in the order he gave them.


• Suggest what she might mean by using all of the words in a complete sentence.


• If necessary, ask the AAC user if you can watch another person communicating with him to learn how it is done.


• If necessary, ask the AAC user if she would like a familiar person to assist her in communicating with you.

If the AAC user is using a communication device:

• Ask the AAC user where you should sit or stand. Some people who use devices prefer to prepare their message and then speak it out loud. Others prefer to have you read their message as they are selecting the words.

Asking Questions

When communicating with a person who uses AAC, be aware that there are different types of questions.


Open questions start with the words What, When, Where, Why, Who and How. To communicate answers to these questions, the AAC user will need to use an AAC system. Answering these types of questions takes more time and effort for an AAC user, since she needs to construct her message.


Yes and no questions are questions that can be answered with “yes” or “no.” For example: “Do you want to watch TV?” “Would you like a coffee?” In asking yes and no questions, it is important to know how an AAC user signals “yes” and “no.” Yes and no questions are usually quick and easy to use. Use them when you want quick validations or confirmations. Do not use them as a means of guessing what an AAC user wishes to communicate.

Give the AAC user opportunities to initiate. Do not bombard the AAC user with questions and do not feel that you have to do all the talking. Give her time to initiate her own messages.


Communication Breakdowns

Breakdowns in communication can occur for a number of reasons. The most common reasons are that you do not understand how the AAC user communicates, the AAC user does not have the words she needs to communicate her message, or the words chosen by the AAC user do not make a complete sentence.


When you do not know how the AAC user communicates:

You can support the AAC user by ensuring that you know how he communicates and what your role is in facilitating his communication. Most AAC users have written instructions that tell you how they communicate and what you can do when communicating with them. These instructions are often attached to the communication display or wheelchair tray.


When the AAC user does not have the words she needs:

You can support the AAC user by asking, “Do you have the word you want?” The AAC user can signal “yes” or “no.” If the AAC user does not know if she has the word, ask, “Do you think it might be somewhere in your book?” If she signals “yes,” turn each page and give her time to review it. Most pages in a display are grouped in categories. When the AAC user has found the page she needs, suggest that you read each word on the page out loud and that she can signal “yes” if you find the word or a word close to what she wants to communicate.

If the AAC user does not have or cannot find the word he needs, ask him to give you a clue or a word similar to the one he wants so that you can guess what he wants to communicate. When guessing, start with general categories (e.g., is it about a place? is it about a person?), then get more specific (e.g., is it a man?), and then start guessing within a smaller grouping (e.g., John? Tom?).

When you determine what the AAC user wants to communicate, continue with the conversation.


When the AAC user’s message is not a sentence:

Some people who use AAC do not communicate in full sentences. They rely on you to “co-construct” messages. The AAC user gives the key words, and you suggest what she might mean. For example, the AAC user communicates, “Mother home,” and you say, “Are you telling me your mother is at home?” If the AAC user signals “no,” you might suggest another meaning, such as, “You are going to visit your mother at home?”

Sometimes AAC users omit parts of a message. If necessary, ask her to give you the missing information. For example, if the AAC user communicates “Angry,” you might ask, “Who is angry?” The AAC user communicates “Jim.”

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