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Speaking Up
Like everyone, people who use AAC may encounter situations where they need to be assertive, deal with conflicts and negotiate solutions. AAC users may need vocabulary for these situations and skills to learn how to use them.
All of the participants in these projects requested information and support in the area of interpersonal communications with attendants, family members and service providers.
Assertiveness 
Assertiveness means protecting your rights without violating the rights of another person.
People who use AAC tell us that for them, assertiveness means:
- Being able to communicate “No”
- Being proud of ourselves
- Telling someone how you feel, what you think and what you want
- Being treated with respect
- Making decisions about our lives
- Having the freedom to make mistakes and taking responsible for them
- Changing some situations
- Being able to communicate “I don’t know”, “Maybe” and “I don’t understand”
- Having the right to privacy
- Being able to ask for help
- Being able to grow, learn and change
- Being able to make a decision not to be assertive in some situations.
Vocabulary
People who use AAC may need vocabulary to be assertive. Vocabulary can be represented in pictures, text and spelling. It is suggested that vocabulary be introduced within a learning context where people can learn how and when to use it.
Items |
Sample vocabulary |
Opinions |
Yes and No
Maybe
I don’t know
I don’t care
Sometimes
I need to think about it
I agree
I don’t agree
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Preferences |
I’d prefer
I like it when..
I don’t like it when… |
There’s a problem |
I have a problem with that
I have an issue
I want to talk to you about something
Something is bothering me |
Feelings |
I feel..
I don’t feel…
When you do that I feel… |
Urgency |
This is important
It’s not important |
Feedback |
That’s great!
Good!
Perfect!
That’s not what I want
This is unacceptable |
Softeners
AAC devices can sound harsh. Some participants recommend using phrases to make their messages sound more polite. |
I’m sure you don’t mean it, but…
Don’t take this the wrong way, but…
It might help if you…
I’d prefer if you… |
Take action |
I need you to..
I want …
Could you..
Otherwise I will have to… |
Negotiating |
What do you suggest?
What do you need to happen?
I need this to happen….. |
Monitoring |
Let’s try it for awhile
Let’s see how it goes
Let’s meet again ….
Let’s keep a record |
Practice Scenarios
Using assertive vocabulary, pretend that you are the person in the scene and tell someone that you have a problem with these situations and what you want to happen. Discuss who you would tell in each of these scenarios (i.e. the person who is causing the problem, a trusted family member or friend, the agency supervisor, a counselor, a health care professional, a lawyer, the police etc.)
- A staff person who knows Sue for years, continues to transfer her from her wheelchair in a way that makes her feel unsafe.
- Jean doesn’t like it when one of the residents in her group home loudly entertains her visitors in the lounge when she wants to watch TV. She is scared of upsetting the resident if she says anything.
- Tom loves his mother but he gets so frustrated when she tells him what to do and doesn’t let him make his own decisions. He doesn’t want to hurt her feelings but he feels strongly that he needs to confront this problem.
- Harry’s sister reads all his emails on his computer. He wants to tell her to respect his privacy.
- Mary’s attendant feeds her too quickly. She is afraid that she will choke if the attendant doesn’t slow down.
- Kim thinks that a staff person is stealing her money because she never gives her receipts or shows her what she is taking out of her purse.
- Laura’s caregiver hits her and is rough when getting her ready. The attendant threatens that she will stop her services if Laura tells anyone.
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