#TalkingAAC 2025

Many students with extensive support needs who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) struggle to read or understand grade-level words, concepts, and texts. Explicit and robust vocabulary instruction can play an important part in addressing this need, with a call for greater investment of instructional time aimed at building students' receptive vocabulary and conceptual understandings. The session will focus on evidence-based practices for receptive vocabulary instruction and approaches for leveraging the high frequency words students are likely to have available on their AAC systems to express understanding of the words. The session will feature Building Bridges, a federally funded, open-source project. The session will feature a 5-day cycle as an example of an instructional sequence that applies evidence-based practices in vocabulary instruction, with a focus on how the sequence can be effectively adapted for students with extensive support needs who use AAC (Geist & Erickson, 2021). Participants will be provided access to free, web-based decision-making tools, instructional planning resources and a collection of example lessons.

It has long been acknowledged that teaching and modeling core words is an appropriate place to begin intervention for AAC users. (www.project-core.com) Over my years as mother and homeschool teacher for a child with multiple disabilities including complex communication needs, I have utilized various plans for working on core vocabulary including Speak For Yourself Learning to Speak AACtion Plan and PrAACtical AAC’s Year of Core Word and School Year of Core Word resources.
When my son started combining core vocabulary to communicate across settings with varied communication partners and for different purposes, it seemed appropriate to consider his growing vocabulary needs. I began explicit instruction on additional tier 1 words beyond core and tier 2 words to increase his receptive and expressive language skills. (Comprehensive Literacy For All, Erickson and Koppenhaver.) I used instructional strategies such as examples/non examples, word relationships, and stories. (“Robust Receptive Vocabulary Instruction for Students With Significant Cognitive Disabilities Who Use AAC” Geist and Erickson, Teaching Exceptional Children.) While my experience is limited to working with one child, the frequency that new vocabulary was use spontaneously used mimics the reported research results that I’ve based my intervention on. In my session, I will share our journey and hope to encourage teachers, SLPs, and parents to consider explicit vocabulary instruction beyond core words.

Participants will be able to summarize why explicit vocabulary instruction beyond core words is needed for individuals with complex communication needs. Participants will complete hands-on activities with vocabulary words to better understand the role of the student and to build capacity for teaching others. Participants will be able to identify word lists for consideration, understand the role of using existing core vocabulary on a speech-generating device to build receptive vocabulary, and describe three strategies for teaching vocabulary.

This exciting session aims to share strategies to support narrative retell skills among augmentative-alternative communication (AAC) users. Attendees will gain practical strategies and insights to facilitate the development of narrative language abilities crucial for academic success and social communication.

The AAC partner teams of speech-language pathologists and special education teachers will begin with the introduction of various tools and resources, some of their common principles, as well as there adaptability for AAC users. Next, the educators will underline the significance of narrative language in academic, social, and cognitive development for individuals in diverse classroom communities who use a variety of AAC systems. Documented measurable outcomes of AAC users by the teams include increased message length and complexity, more complete narrative form, expressive vocabulary growth, and increased comprehension through personal connections. Additional benefits include increased ability to repair communication breakdowns and integrated use of AAC to supplement mouth speech. Descriptions of implementation strategies and data-driven decision making will show how the team monitors progress and adjusts intervention plans accordingly. Lastly, the presenters will highlight the role of collaboration among AAC users, family members, caregivers, educators, and therapists in supporting narrative skill development for optimal generalization and functional application of skills.

Enhancing narrative retell skills is essential for AAC users to engage meaningfully in academic tasks, participate in meaningful and authentic social interactions, and express themselves effectively. By integrating tools and strategies presented, attendees will be equipped to address this critical aspect of communication, leading to improved outcomes in literacy, academic achievement, and overall quality of life for individuals using AAC.

Who doesn’t love a good book? Now, imagine if you and your students could literally walk through it page by page?! We will explore the use of multi-sensory story elements and AAC to create an engaging and inclusive literacy experience. Research supports the use of shared reading for emergent literacy learners to sustain attention, interest and make connections. Session will include a “how-to” guide to create your own storybook walk!

Students with complex communication and extensive support needs using AAC should receive emergent literacy instruction on a daily basis. Literacy learning is the one way we can ensure our students using AAC are able to communicate precisely and become competent communicators.  Unfortunately, this population of students is often left out of comprehensive literacy instruction. This presentation will share how we are providing direct emergent  literacy instruction in letter of the day, core word of the day, and daily shared reading experiences in a preschool special education classroom. You will see the students use a variety of communication systems including eye gaze, direct select, and other no tech supports. Communication, using core vocabulary, is easily embedded into these routines resulting in a multitude of daily communicative opportunities.

Shared reading and alphabet knowledge are two emergent literacy instructional routines discussed in Project-Core, a Stepping-Up Technology Implementation Grant directed by the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies. Shared reading is the interaction that occurs when a child and adult interact with a book together. The goal of the routine is interaction and connection with the adult, the child and the book. Ultimately, we want the child to drive the interaction. This alphabet instructional routine explicitly teaches the alphabet using a distributed practice model. Learning the alphabet is the foundation for our students to learn to spell and communicate.

In addition to the emergent literacy strategies discussed above we have added core vocabulary instruction. Explicit core vocabulary instruction for emergent communicators is another routine students using AAC can benefit from. Explicitly teaching the meaning and use of core words in engaging and language rich activities supports both receptive and expressive language learning.

This presentation will describe the three instructional routines and demonstrate the many ways our students began to participate. We will share how we got started, from navigating seating, mounts, CVI needs, and choosing communication systems. We will discuss our challenges and ultimately the successes as we provide communication and literacy learning to preschool students with extensive support needs.

The library and education worlds talk about the importance of books as doors, windows, and mirrors for kids to see themselves as leaders and heroes, as well as kids with different lived experiences. But when fewer than 4% of kids books published every year feature a disabled character, and fewer than that are authentic representation, how can we best help our kids see themselves in the wider world and develop pride in themselves? Or for their peers to understand disability as a valid and important aspect of diversity? Children’s librarian Shelley Harris is back to dive deeper on how libraries can support disabled kids and their families. We will evaluate books featuring disabled characters and discuss how to use them with disabled kids and their peers to build understanding and advocacy skills. Bring your list of favorites (and/or ones to avoid!) to share and discuss.

Who doesn’t love a good book? Now, imagine if you and your students could literally walk through it page by page?! We will explore the use of multi-sensory story elements and AAC to create an engaging and inclusive literacy experience. Research supports the use of shared reading for emergent literacy learners to sustain attention, interest and make connections. Session will include a “how-to” guide to create your own storybook walk!