Ways to Celebrate and Embed AAC in Classrooms!
by Jacquelyn Van Patten, M.Ed. (Special Education Teacher); NWACS Board Member
reading time: 10 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.
I am an elementary school special education teacher. I work with students who use AAC devices and spend the majority of their days in the general education setting. I’ve focused on learning as much as I can about AAC to best support my students. One topic that I think is extremely important but more difficult to find clear information on is how to celebrate and embed AAC in a classroom setting. I want to share 11 types of actions you can take to celebrate and embed AAC in your classrooms!
Preview of actions that will be described in this post (click on an action item to jump to that section, or scroll through them all):
Image is the cover photo for the Facebook group Ask Me, I’m an AAC User (24 Hour Rule!). It shows a Proloquo2Go page with the message “AAC is just as valid as mouth words” on top in both symbols and text.
Invite Adult AAC users to visit and share with your classroom or school!
Learn from AAC users through platforms like the Facebook group Ask Me, I’m an AAC User (24 Hour Rule!).
Non-AAC-using students will likely become interested in AAC. If your AAC-using students are comfortable and interested in sharing what they know, have them answer questions and teach others how to navigate their system! The goal of all these ideas is to celebrate and embed AAC. If effort is put into this goal, over time I would hope and expect any stigma AAC users feel around their AAC to disappear.
Seeing your method of communication featured in a book is empowering! Children’s books featuring AAC users are both a great way to support AAC users’ sense of identity and community and to explain and celebrate AAC to all! You can scatter books featuring AAC users around your classroom or collect them in one place so students who want to learn more can easily find them. Kate Ahern, M.S, Ed. of AAC Voices has created a great list of books with characters who use AAC.
Additional stories about AAC that you can print:
AAC is Magic by Jane Farrall & Helen Tainsh
We All Communicate by Katy Fiorini Orlowski & Kit Autie (shared in AAC for the SLP Facebook group)
I Wear My Words by Kate Ahern, M.S.Ed.
Emma Talks With Her AAC Device by Lori Binko
Using My Talker! A Social Story About Using AAC by Rachel Langley, AAC Specialist
Communication Rocks! by Kristine Drum, MA, CCC-SLP (shared in InteractiveAAC Facebook Group)
Apraxia and Nonspeakers: A Neuroinclusive Introduction to the Brain-Body Disconnect by NeuroClastic
Taking Care of My Voice by Kristine Drum, MA, CCC-SLP (shared in InteractiveAAC Facebook Group)
Why do I Use a Talker? by Lauren Kraus
Keira Gets a Talker by Shubha Bala (shared in AAC & Gestalt Language Processing Facebook group)
Here is a photo of how we displayed our books featuring AAC users last year. In addition to books, this bin also included interactive Velcro core boards for all students and staff to use, information on modeling, and information specific to one student’s device organization.
Photo shows a light green plastic bin with a colorful garland displaying the icons and words for the sentence “room 19 learns AAC” in SymbolStix. Inside the bin there are many books. The titles that are partially visible are “Curious George Gets a Talker”, Something to Say about my Communication Device”, “AAC Rhyme Time” and, “How Katie Got a Voice (and a cool new name)”.
This may seem silly, but wearing
shoes,
earrings,
sweatshirts,
and shirts
featuring AAC has inspired so many moments of connection and appreciation with the students I work with! From a student pointing quickly and excitedly between an AAC device and my shoes to students on the playground working together to build sentences from the core board on my sweatshirt, it’s fun! I highly recommend you try it out. Here are a few of my favorites:
Core Board Shoes from Tekninja
Photo is of a classic low-top skate shoe covered by a grid of symbols. (photo by Tekninja)
Earrings from the Etsy shop, Marley Caroline, owned by Mary Katherine Dally of aacforall (check out her Instagram! She is brilliant and shares amazing ideas for incorporating AAC in all aspects of life!) *not currently being sold
Photo contains 14 sets of BoardMaker icon earrings in various colors. One pair of earrings are round dangly earrings. The left earring has a holiday sweater and represents the word ‘merry’. The right earring features string lights with a red, blue, and yellow light and represents the word ‘bright’. Other earring pairs include symbols representing the phrases “love taco”, “taco Tuesday”, “apples and bananas”, “build snowman”, “bubbles and blocks”, “superhero teacher”, “spread kindness”, “happy birthday”, “lemons and lemonade”.
Core Board Sweatshirt from Peachie Speechie
Photo contains a pink sweatshirt from Peachie Speechie with a hand-drawn core board with 6 icons across and 7 icons down. (photo by Peachie Speechie)
Products celebrating AAC from the AAC Enthusiasts Club shop, created by Amanda Hartmann
Photo: white t-shirt with text reading “The AAC Enthusiasts Club”. Underneath in larger letters “AAC with a pea” is written. A high-tech AAC device is propped up on a table with a pea icon visible. An eggplant, carrot, mushroom, onion, apple, and peas in pod (with faces) are in front of the AAC device. On top of one of the peas in the pod is a speech bubble that says, “I see me!”. (Photo by AAC Enthusiasts Club shop)
Tell Me About It shirt from the Etsy shop NotaTypicalTeacher
Photo: a dark heather gray shirt with a knot on the right side is lying on a wood background. There is a large lopsided heart in the center filled in with a TouchChat core board. On the top left of the heart are the words, “tell me”. Under and to the right of the heart are the words, “about it”. (photo by NotaTypicalTeacher)
Core + Fringe Bag designed by Mary Katherine Dally of aacforall - make your own with a canvas bag, a fabric transfer of the linked design, and fringe!
Photo: a bag with an apple core and the words “core + fringe” and red, orange, yellow, green, and blue fringe hangs from a sunflower hook on a mustard-colored door.
Or use fabric transfers to make your own symbol clothing! The possibilities are endless!
Photo: close up image of a purple sweatshirt with icons reading “Have a Holly (my mother-in-law) Jolly Holiday Season”.
Include icons around the classroom that feature relevant AAC symbols and symbol pathways. One fun format for icon phrases is a garland. Each piece of the garland can represent one word. I prefer to include the motor pathway for finding each word instead of just the single icon. Another option is to just print and laminate a captured button sequence. Chat Editor is a great free software for getting all the icons you need! Or check out this post with other options for finding icons.
Example 1: Garland with the button sequences for the phrase “Hello we are so happy you are here”. This garland is right in front of the door to my classroom and is the first thing you see when you enter.
Photo depicts a laminated garland with the TouchChat icons for the phrase “Hello we are so happy you are here”. Each icon is on its own scalloped paper and alternating colored fringe is hanging off each. The ‘We’ includes photos of the faces of staff who work in the classroom. The garland is attached to the back of a bookcase that is covered in fabric with small rainbows. Behind the bookcase you can see the top of a cocoon swing and a plastic iridescent chandelier.
Example 2: icon sequence for “See you later alligator” (Social -> Goodbye -> Alligator) is on the inside of the door out of the classroom, perfectly visible when leaving.
Photo is of a wood door with a long rectangular window partially covered by a blue curtain. On the window is the icon sequence for “See you later alligator” (Social -> Goodbye -> Alligator).
Example 3: (from Mary Katherine Dally of aacforall, the queen of embedding symbols everywhere!!! Check out her Instagram for many, many more great ideas!) a hello icon attached to a play phone. View full post here.
Photo contains an Instagram post by aacforall showing a hand picking up a phone. An icon of someone holding a phone with the text “hello?” is visible. A play coffee maker and cash register are also visible in the background. (photo by aacforall)
Example 4: (from Mary Katherine Dally of aacforall) activity icons attached to a visual timer. View full post here.
Photo contains an Instagram post by aacforall with a Time Timer with 4 minutes remaining. The 5-minute mark indicates it is time to clean up with a Boardmaker icon. Next to the 0 is a Boardmaker icon for wash hands indicating that after 4 more minutes have passed everyone will be done cleaning and it will be time to wash hands. (photo by aacforall)
Example 5: (from Mary Katherine Dally of aacforall) on and off icons displayed above and below a light switch! Plus a core board featuring both icons, connecting the icons back to their location on the students’ device! View full post here.
Photo contains an Instagram post by aacforall showing a light switch flipped off with an ‘on’ icon above it and an ‘off’ icon below it. To the left of the light switch is a core board and a hand is pointing to the ‘off’ icon on it. (photo by aacforall)
Providing all students with opportunities to use high-tech and light-tech AAC has moved their questions and comments about AAC from “Why can’t they talk?” and “Why do they need that?” to “It’s so cool! I wish I had one!” and “I’m upset. Can I use the AAC device instead of talking?”.
Forms of AAC you can and should have accessible in your classroom:
Photo: 6 students and a teacher gather around and look with interest at a 24” by 36” Saltillo 96 location poster based on WordPower 60 Basic that is sitting on a desk.
High-Tech Devices
Flexible Velcro Core Boards can be made by printing 2 copies of any core board and following these directions (from Tabi Jones-Wohleber).
Communication Flipbooks (such as this one from PRC-Saltillo)
Poster-Sized Core Boards - large icons can be seen from across the classroom and allow modeling for multiple students during whole group instruction!
Playground Communication Boards (such as these from PRC-Saltillo)
EXCITING TIP: in the linked Playground Communication Board information above, you can find high-resolution symbols for WordPower, Unity, and Lamp! After following the link above, scroll to “Instructions for Creating a Board”. Choose the symbol language you and your student use and click to download the files. When you open the zip file, you will find a playground sign folder, and within that you will find a file named “Links”. Inside this file you will find individual image files for each icon! You can use these symbols for almost every idea on this list (coloring pages, custom clothing, garlands, everything!). Have fun!
When things are moveable and buildable, so many creative possibilities open! Students become motivated to engage and play. Physical objects featuring icons inspire students to interact with them and create concrete communicative utterances. There are endless formats this can be done in! Here are 7 examples to get you started:
Photo: Home Page of TouchChat 42 Basic with icons attached with Velcro. Students can switch the icons on the message line to create their own message! The sentence featured in this photo is “I like my play group”.
Icon Puzzles
Photo: a plastic bag labeled “AAC Puzzle!” contains purple and white foam puzzle pieces with SymbolStix icons. Visible icons include ‘hear’, ‘smell’, ‘touch’, ‘bad’, and ‘that’.
Unifix Cubes with Icons Affixed
Photo: 4 Unifix cubes in a variety of colors are linked together. Each cube has a different SymbolStix icon. Together the icon sentence says, “want more play time”.
Photo: image shows a box of set 1 of SymbolStix Squares. Three icon cards are out and together their message reads, “hi yes more”. (photo by n2y)
Photo contains an Instagram post by aacforall with green playdough stamped with the word and symbol for ‘like’. In the background of the image you can see stamps with icons for ‘different’ and ‘stop’ as well as playdough cutters in various shapes including a butterfly. (photo by aacforall)
Photo contains an Instagram post by aacforall with a whiteboard and magnets featuring 46 individual SymbolStix word icons including ‘more’, ‘all’, ‘that’, ‘go’, ‘read’, ‘put’, ‘with’, etc. At the top of the whiteboard there is a longer magnet with a row of the category symbols ‘people’, ‘questions’, ‘actions’, ‘social’, ‘places’, ‘groups’, ‘describe’, as well as, ‘good’. Symbol magnets are color-coded based on their category. (photo by aacforall)
Cut-Out Paper Symbol Crafts - these examples show cards written with pasted icons. You could also use cut out paper symbols to label parts of a drawing or include them in any other art project!
Photo: a student with a blurred-face in an orange shirt shows off the inside of a yellow paper card he made. The left side of the card has a mix of black and white cut-out paper SymbolStix icons and rectangular papers he has written words on. The message reads, “I love seeing you guys even though the bad times I still love you guys love y’all”. On the right page he has written, “I love you so much”. At the bottom of the right card is 3 stick figures. The left and right are about 1 inch tall and have short hair. The middle figure is 3 times their height and has hair past its face. All are smiling. There is a large heart floating in the air above each of the short stick figures.
Photo shows a green paper card with cut-out SymbolStix icons forming a 2-line message. The top line reads, “I love you”. The second line reads, “I love it home (home button)”. The student has carefully colored in each icon to match the colors they are on their device.
AAC themed décor is a fun way to celebrate AAC and really make students who use AAC feel important and included. Here are some fun ideas:
TouchChat Pillow from Zazzle: Products on Zazzle are fully customizable! You can upload photos depicting any language system and create a ton of different products with them (blankets, shirts, leggings, magnets, whiteboards, and much more!)
Photo: on the left is a rectangular pillow with the TouchChat 42 Basic home screen printed on it. On the right the TouchChat pillow is on a blue mat with 5 rainbow pillows, two pencil pillows, a cactus pillow, and a small, deviled egg pillow.
AAC Mug (or other ceramic art!): the mug below featuring the SymbolStix ‘proud’ icon was custom made by the incredible ceramic artist Ave Rivera! There are also thousands of other amazing, talented, ceramic artists who may be interested in taking on a similar project in their style!
Photo: a pastel ombre ceramic mug features the SymbolStix ‘proud’ icon of a stick figure smiling holding a basketball.
AAC Communication Bill of Rights Poster (like this one from Beautiful Speech Life): if you’re interested in the Communication Bill of Rights check out NWACS’ awesome blog series!
Photo on the left is a poster with the words ‘Communication Bill of Rights I have the right’ in the center. Around it are each of the rights paired with Smarty Symbols. On the right, the poster is shown in a classroom.
All Communication Welcome Sign made by Mary Katherine Dally and available on The AAC for ALL TPT Store
Photo: left side shows a sign with the words “All communication welcome” in the center. The letters in ‘communication’ are alternating rainbow order. Around the text are different Boardmaker icons and labels of different modes of communication (facial expression, AAC, sign language, speech, body language, gestures, eye gaze, spelling). On the right is an image of a door with the all communication welcome sign above the door knob.
AAC Blanket from SofloSpeech
Photo: a folded blanket featuring a TouchChat icon grid is on a wood background. (photo by SofloSpeech)
Peas In A Pod AAC Poster from PRC-Saltillo
Photo: drawn smiling peas in a pod have AAC devices tucked into their shells. On the left is an Accent device, on the right is a TouchChat device. Text labels the drawing ‘Peas In A Pod’. It is laminated with a pink border. On the right the same Peas In A Pod decoration is on a bookshelf next to a wooden rainbow. There is a yellow bin of books on the shelf under it.
AAC Device Posters from Mrs Reids Crewe on TPT: this link is to purchase 70+ AAC Posters for $3.00 (as of 8/16/22)
Poster reads ‘Don’t forget our AAC devices’ with images of 7 different forms of AAC devices (high-tech, flipbook, phone, etc.). (photo by Mrs. Reids Crewe)
Symbol Border from Kelsey of includedinsped. View the full post here.
Photo: on the left are white scalloped borders with various black SymbolStix icons including eat, stop, in, out, happy, and sad. On the right the borders are up on a square gray bulletin board. (photos by includedinsped)
Core Board Rug from Kelsey of includedinsped, purchased from CBcustomdesignsCo on Etsy. View the full post here.
Photo: on the left is a rug featuring the LAMP words for Life home screen. On the right is a clean bright classroom with the rug on the floor.
Most classes have some opportunities for coloring - whether it is during a break in the calm down corner, after finishing an assignment early, during rainy day recess, or even during whole group instruction as some students are more able to focus when they can color and keep their hands busy. Coloring sheets are inexpensive. Since the subject matter usually doesn’t need to be something specific, you should offer AAC-themed coloring sheets! Coloring allows students to have a positive interaction with an image. Having icons and other AAC-themed coloring sheets is a great way to easily celebrate AAC!
Photo: on the left is an orange folder labeled ‘Peaceful Coloring AAC Edition” with a small printed TouchChat 42 Basic homepage attached. On the right the folder is shown opened. The left pocket is labeled ‘core icon coloring’ with an apple core image, a ‘stop’ icon coloring sheet is visible. The right pocket is labeled ‘Fun coloring celebrating AAC’ with a party icon, a coloring sheet with the word ‘AAC’ on top surrounded by music notes and an AAC device with ‘Full Speed Ahead’ is showing.
You can find all the coloring pages I collected and made in an easy-to-print format here!
To make your own coloring pages using symbols from any language system, you can upload a photo to this website. Taking a screenshot of the device page and cropping it works great! Or check out the 'link' folder of each of the zip files here. (Scroll to “Instructions for Creating a Board”. Choose the symbol language you and your student use and click to download the files. When you open the zip file, you will find a playground sign folder, and within that you will find a file named “Links”. Inside this file you will find individual image files for each icon!)
Modeling, encouraging, and respecting communication during all activities of the day is important. It is also fun and wonderful to have some specific activities that are designed to be compatible with AAC devices! Most of these activities could work well during a morning meeting or an earned Friday fun time!
Category Games: Play a game that involves listing things in a category! If the AAC users you work with have a category-based language system like TouchChat, category-based games are very natural and a great opportunity to build confidence using their device!
Mad Libs: Mad Libs are also great for category-based language systems. To add more structure, you can use their device category labels (i.e. “give me an action word” instead of "give me a verb"). You can use any paper Mad Libs or use a Mad Libs generating website like this one!
AAC Activity Cards: Amanda Hartman of The AAC Enthusiasts Club created these 24 amazing AAC Activity cards! Also available in Spanish! They are super fun and a lovely way to plan for some extra focused time interacting with AAC. They are perfect for a morning meeting. For extra fun, pair them with a numbered wheel like Amanda did below!
Photo shows Amanda Hartman’s 24 AAC activities arranged on a table. Behind them is a numbered spinning wheel. A core board is hanging on the wall behind. (photo by Amanda Hartman)
Any Board Game: AssistiveWare created this resource listing core and fringe words to try during each of a long list of games! I’ve used it a lot and highly recommend it!
A Book and A Game a Day: in January 2020, Kim Rankin (of Hold My Words on Facebook and Instagram) created a list of a book and a game with core words to target for each day of the month! Check it out: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4
Screenshot: SymbolStix ‘now’ icon is to the left of a list of songs featuring the word now (Don’t stop me now, Come Together, etc.)
AAC Family Fun has created super fun ‘Coreaoke’ resources! They have lists of songs by core word, which are aligned with the monthly core words in PrAACticalAAC’s Year of Core! Click for access to AAC Family Fun’s google drive of coreaoke playlists! Or check out their YouTube playlists. During a brain break song, first reference the core words included in the song by
modeling finding the words on your device
or holding up symbols of the word (symbols can be printed to have on hand or if your student uses SymbolStix you can get the SymbolStix Squares boxes)
and then play a song from their list!
All the ideas listed here need to be implemented in the context of a school team that is
trained and practiced,
is knowledgeable about AAC,
and works hard to model consistently!
Respecting and supporting the team doing all that hard work is crucial to their continued motivation and effort. I could go way more in-depth about building and maintaining a strong team. Instead, I’ll share a few ideas specific to recognizing and appreciating modeling from your team as a way to ensure AAC is utilized and embedded:
Make connections between staff’s efforts and student success
Example: “Wow! I saw you modeling feeling words yesterday and today (student) navigated to that page and shared how they were feeling!”.
Write a note complimenting and appreciating a specific staff modeling action.
If your school has a staff shoutout bulletin board, use it to recognize modeling!
It is important to ask your staff how they like to be recognized and show appreciation through their preferred method.
Thank you so much for reading this! I hope it was helpful. I would love to hear if you try any of these ideas or other ideas you have!