by Jo Ristow, MS, CCC-SLP (speech/language pathologist); NWACS blogger

reading time: 2 minutes

The views expressed in this post are that of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of NWACS. No endorsement by NWACS is implied regarding any device, manufacturer, resource, or strategy mentioned.

It’s November! Hopefully the initial rush and chaos of back-to-school is over, and kids (and school teams) are settling into the school year. That means it’s the perfect time to provide a little more information and support to general education teachers and peers about AAC. Kids tend to have questions about why some of their classmates communicate differently. Some AAC users might have the time and energy to make a presentation or an “about me” sheet to share with their classmates. Others may prefer to be less in the spotlight.

Here are some general resources for introducing AAC to different school aged groups. Note: Please know the author of this post does not endorse all of the views expressed in these books. There is still a large issue with ableist perspectives and tokenism in popular media. Continue to think critically about portrayals of disabled and/or neurodivergent people by non-disabled bodies and neurotypical brains.

Books for younger kids (preschool - early elementary)

Autistic main characters:

Something to Say about My Communication Device

by Eden Molineux, MS, CCC-SLP

Illustrated by Nathalie Beauvois

Me & My AAC

by Tabitha Cabrera

Illustrated by Michael Barnett

*Written by an Autistic person

A Day with No Words

by Tiffany Hammond

Illustrated by Kate Cosgrove

Unspecified:

Lucas the Lion Loves the Tiny Talker

by Ryan Rollen and Brittani Rollen

Illustrated by Alvina Kwong

I Talk in Different Ways

by Amanda Hartmann

Illustrated by Nanhee Ha

Cerebral Palsy:

How Katie Got a Voice (and a Cool New Nickname)

by Patricia L. Mervine, MA, CCC-SLP

Illustrated by Ian Acker

*Written by someone with cerebral palsy

Looking Through My Eyes Preschool Edition

by Lydia Dawley

Illustrated by Jennifer Hyles

Books for older kids (Late elementary - early middle school)

Cerebral Palsy:

Out of My Mind

by Sharon M. Draper

A Voice of Her Own

by Sarah Yong and Lois Yong

*Written by someone with cerebral palsy

Looking Through My Eyes (ages 7-11 edition)

by Lydia Dawley

Illustrated by Jennifer Hyles

Middle school to high school

*Written by an Autistic Person

What I Mean When I Say I’m Autistic

by Annie Kotowicz

*featuring an Autistic person

This is Not About Me (movie)

For teachers, how to support peers in communicating with AAC users:

Building Peer Relationships for Beginning Communicators in Inclusive Primary Settings

54 Tips and Tricks for Implementing Alternative and Augmentative Communication in the Classroom

What other resources are great for helping teach peers about AAC? Link in the comments!

See our Pinterest Board for more books featuring AAC!