Let's Talk AAC: The Right To Access Environments and Interactions as Full Communication Partners (Communication Right #12)

October 25, 2022 NWACS

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reading time: 5 minutes

Right #12 of the Communication Bill of Rights reads: The right to access environmental contexts, interactions, and opportunities that promote participation as full communication partners with other people, including peers.

Humans have complex lives. We hang out with friends and family. We go to school and/or work. We take classes (work or interest-related). We join clubs. We participate in communities of worship. We interact in groups. We have hobbies and interests. And more.

For AAC users, it takes more than being present to participate in their communities. Once there, communication partners must accommodate and make an effort to fully include them.

The people around an AAC user are communication partners. AAC users encounter many communication partners across their day. Most of these people have no training in AAC. They do not know how to be a good communication partner. Being a good communication partner does not come naturally. Unfortunately, this leads to a lot of communication barriers and participation obstacles for AAC users. This means that AAC users may be unable to communicate and participate fully and successfully.

Good communication partners are critical for people with communication disabilities to be able to participate fully. Smart communication partners use a variety of strategies to support communication. What does it mean to be a good communication partner?

ENSURE ACCESS

As we discussed with Right #11, AAC users must have access to communication "in all moments, regardless of the time or what is going on in the environment." Communication partners play a critical role in making sure an AAC user has access to communication at all times. This is especially true for AAC users with complex bodies. This could mean:

their personal AAC system (light-tech, mid-tech, and/or high-tech)
taking advantage of environmental supports

Environmental supports are visuals and communication tools that may be available in places you go. These are in addition to the person's personal AAC system. They may give access to communication in more places:

a swimming pool with a waterproof communication board or book
a picture menu a person can use to order
a playground with a large playground communication board that all children can use
a medical facility with a visual pain scale or medical communication board

Environmental supports can also be visuals you create and put in the environment to support the person. They might function to support:

language development
understanding
academic tasks
activities of daily living
participation
and more

Examples include:

communication boards or wall posters
picture symbols posted around a classroom or home to support communication in activities
visual schedules using familiar pictures or symbols
calendars
sequences for tasks (e.g. steps for making a sandwich, brushing teeth, or packing school backpack)
social stories to provide information
and more

PRESUME COMPETENCE

Good communication partners presume the AAC user has an intended meaning every time they attempt to communicate. We may not always immediately understand the connection or message. But that does not mean there isn’t one. We need to believe that they are making a connection or have a reason for what they communicated. Sometimes being a good communication partner means

being curious,
using detective work and making smart guesses, and
asking for more information when we need help understanding.

Believe that everyone can communicate authentic, autonomous messages.

Expect communication.
Share the responsibility for successful communication interactions.
Don’t give up on communication!

ACCEPT ALL FORMS OF COMMUNICATION

We all use multiple ways to communicate. We make facial expressions. We use gestures. We use body language. We vocalize sounds (e.g., groaning, sighing, etc.). We put words together to form messages. Sometimes we cannot find the exact word we want to say and we ask the person we are with to help. For example, “Oh, what’s the word?! Not creepy. You know - when someone says something and it feels awkward or embarrassing.” “You mean cringy?” “YES!” Be aware and notice all the communication signals the AAC user is providing.

Know (or ask!) the AAC user’s ways of communicating and accept them all.
Pay attention to their nonverbal communication signals and interpret them for meaning. Look for facial expressions, gestures, vocalizations, and body language. Be on the lookout for subtle cues.
Use context to help understand their intended message.
Focus on their intended message, not the correctness or how they communicated it (e.g., “me” followed by a point/gesture to something to mean “I want that”).

PAUSE AND WAIT

Create time and space for AAC users to participate in the conversation. Spoken communication moves fast! Especially in groups of people. Communication partners need to carve out time in conversations and invite the AAC user to share any thoughts or add to the conversation. They may not have anything to say at that moment, and that is okay. The important thing is that they know you are interested in what they have to contribute. And that you will consistently provide opportunities for them to communicate.

Watch for signs that the AAC user has something to say!
Provide thinking time. It may take the AAC user a moment or two to process what has been said by others. They may also need additional time to process their own thoughts and figure out how to put them into words.
Provide composing time. It takes time and effort to compose messages using an AAC device. Be patient. Wait for them to express themselves.

BE AN ACTIVE LISTENER

Be patient and listen for understanding. Stay non-judgmental and non-directive. Focus on trying to understand their idea or message.

Give them your undivided attention.
Listen with all your senses. Gather information from all their signals (body language, vocalizations, words, context, etc.) to help you understand their intended message.
Show that you are listening (e.g., look at them, move closer or change body position, nod, make sounds to indicate you are listening, etc.).

CLARIFY AND CONFIRM

Communication is messy.

Ask clarifying questions to help develop your understanding.
Confirm you have understood their message.
Help repair communication breakdowns.

BE RESPECTFUL

We all have our preferences and needs. Make an effort to learn how to best support and communicate with the AAC user(s) you are with. Also, take note of the person’s age and treat them accordingly. Depending on their needs, it may be helpful to simplify your language or slow down your rate. But, that does not mean using “baby talk” or treating them as if they were much younger or incapable of understanding.

MODEL AND COACH

Communication partner skills do not come naturally. Most people need coaching to develop and use good partner skills. People who do not have experience interacting with AAC users may feel uncomfortable and afraid to try. Or may not even realize there are things they can do to support communication from AAC users. So we need to educate, advocate, and show how!

Do a quick overview/introduction to new/less familiar communication partners, sharing
- All the ways the AAC user communicates
- Quick tips on how to be a good communication partner
Model how to be a good communication partner!
Remind others to provide space and time for the AAC user to participate actively.

AAC users have a right to participate as full communication partners in the activities and environments that are important to them. We support by observing and noticing. We support by listening. We support by slowing down and giving time. We support by being curious. We need to connect with the person. We support by doing with, not for. We support by pulling back when the person wants to do more themselves. We support by taking our cues from them. Most importantly, we allow them to be full participants.

AAC users: what would you add? How can we be good (or better) communication partners?