by Lisa Mesher, SLP, ATP (speech-language pathologist and assistive technology professional)
reading time: 4 minutes
Stepping Into AAC
The year was 2024. It was early March and I was 8 months pregnant. I received a message from a co-worker telling me about this program she discovered called “Stepping Into AAC” and how amazing it was! I thought to myself, “Great! I’ll add it to my ever-growing list of potential resources and look at it… eventually.” A week passed without me giving it another thought.
Another message came in from my co-worker: “Every week I get further into this Stepping Into AAC, I love it more!!!! Check out this video on symbols.” Again, I replied that I’ll check it out. I went to add it to my list and saw that it was already there. Less than a week later, my co-worker said, “This video on tracking progress is so good!” Finally, I carved out the time and watched the first video.
“This is sooo good!” I said. “We should start incorporating these videos once a month into our family emails.”
“Every week I meet with this one parent to watch them (videos) because she said it holds her accountable,” my co-worker shared with me. “But to be honest, I think I get more out of it than she does.” And she was right!
Fast forward to Fall of 2024. I was freshly back from maternity leave, and I’d begun a new habit of watching a few Stepping Into AAC videos each week. I was beaming with excitement as I watched each new video. All I could think about was how powerful these resources are. As I watched the videos, I was blown away by the simplicity of the message! Every video concluded with me saying to myself, “Wow, I never thought about it in that way,” or “What a great real-life connection from a family’s perspective!”
Stepping Into AAC is an entire guide for clinicians, families, educators and other professionals with any level of experience or comfort level with AAC. The materials were created in partnership with the Angelman Syndrome Foundation and PrAACtical AAC. These materials can be accessed either on the Angelman Syndrome Foundation website or on the PrAACtical AAC website.
The materials include a 20-week curriculum including a series of 2-5 videos each week. The videos vary in length, ranging from 2 to 12 minutes. The curriculum also includes the following:
activity guides with ideas for daily practice
handouts reviewing key information
a newsletter sharing stories and reflection questions
The materials are easy to navigate. The information is presented in easily digestible pieces which allow you to move at your own pace!
The best part is that these materials are free! You can watch them as many times as you want to check for understanding and when teaching others. My brain started swirling with ideas on how to implement these materials.
We all know a clinician or educator who hears that a new learner has an AAC system, and the anxiety sets in. There are occasions when we, as clinicians, find ourselves in that position. We start a session with our learner, but the communication system is nowhere to be found. Families, educators and other professionals appear overwhelmed and are not sure how to manage a new system. We’ve given all the communication system training we know how to give, and we’ve used everything we learned in graduate school. Even so, we’re still unsure of the best way to support everyone.
Do you have a clinician questioning grid size? Stepping Into AAC has a recommendation on that! Do you see educators feeling unsure about how to model? Stepping Into AAC has resources on that! Are your families struggling to see the progress their learner is making with a communication device? Stepping Into AAC has ideas on this, too! You see where this is going. Stepping Into AAC covers these barriers in a clear and meaningful way.
It’s almost like we are all in a car trying to get to a new destination (which is successful and meaningful communication for our learners). Clinicians, caregivers, and educators generally know the destination. But each person keeps steering toward the route they’re most familiar with rather than the most direct and efficient path. Overwhelming right? Stepping Into AAC is like the road map on the GPS screen. As the speech-language pathologist, you can be that steady GPS voice preparing the team for upcoming turns and offering guidance through any roadblocks they face. Sure, occasionally, the drivers will miss a turn. But you’ll be there to use the Stepping Into AAC materials to get them back on track. Once we’re all moving in the same direction, everyone can enjoy the journey as well as the destination—without feeling overwhelmed.
Related Resources
Stepping Into AAC (Angelman Syndrome Foundation)
Stepping Into AAC Home (PrAACtical AAC)
Lisa Mesher, MS, CCC-SLP, ATP (she/her)
Lisa Mesher is a licensed speech-language pathologist and certified assistive technology professional. She has developed a passion for supporting family members on their AAC journey. She currently is employed at a virtual charter school and runs her own business supporting AAC communication partners. She resides in western Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.
