Let’s Talk AAC: The Right to Make Comments and Share Opinions (Communication Right #6)

April 16, 2022 NWACS

Welcome back to Let's Talk AAC - a series of questions and topics for discussion. NWACS will occasionally post a question or topic along with some related information. We hope that you will join in the conversation by adding your experiences, resources, related research, etc. in comments so that we can all learn and benefit from each other's knowledge and experience.

by Penny Tonn, MS, CCC-SLP (Speech-Language Pathologist); NWACS Contributor

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.

Right #6 of the Communication Bill of Rights reads: The right to make comments and share opinions.

An important part of being human is sharing our opinions and making comments. We share our thoughts as a way to connect and share our love or dislike for things within our environment. For complex communicators, this right can instill a sense of personal autonomy. Building independence in communicating thoughts and opinions is necessary for all communicators.

Here are some examples of making comments and sharing opinions:

I like that!

I don’t like that!

This is really fun.

That truck is neat.

This book is interesting.

My head hurts.

I am ready to go home.

Consider how a communicator in your life might convey these ideas.

How can we support the autonomy of individuals to share their ideas?

As communication partners, we can focus on modeling. For very early communicators, this might mean modeling “I like it” when the person is showing joy during a shared activity. If the person pushes an item away, this is a clear sign that it is not something they like so you can model, “I don’t like it”.

Notice the communicator’s attention. Perhaps they are watching something outside of the window. You can model commenting on sights, sounds, or other sensory components of an experience using AAC.

Become familiar with the AAC user’s different means of communicating. Does the communicator use gestures, pictures, or a device? Does the communicator have a way of showing enjoyment, like looking toward you, grabbing your hand, or pointing at items during an interaction? In what ways does this person communicate?

Become familiar with the AAC user’s interests. An AAC user may communicate their interests to you in a variety of ways, so follow their lead in conversation or play-based activities so the interaction is rewarding for both parties.

For all communicators, it is important to really listen to what is being communicated through any modality. This means honoring the use of sign language, print or high-tech AAC modalities, gestures, physical touch, and more. Don’t assume you know what the communicator is trying to tell you. Listen to the AAC user and honor the ways that they share their opinions with you!

What kinds of comments or opinions do you think are important and empowering to share? Let us know in the comments or on the NWACS Facebook page!