#265: Hot Topics In AAC

Prompting AAC is abuse? Let’s talk about that and a few other AAC conversations that keep coming up again and again.

In today’s solo episode, I’m diving into five hot topics in AAC that have been surfacing repeatedly in my recent calls, trainings, and collaboration meetings. After more than 20 years as a speech therapist and being dually certified as a BCBA, I’ve seen how confusing, overwhelming, and sometimes divisive AAC conversations can become. I also remember very clearly when AAC felt intimidating to me too.

This episode is about cutting through the noise, grounding ourselves in research, and having better, more collaborative conversations about AAC. I share real scenarios clinicians are facing right now, from AAC evaluations that drag on far too long to device access barriers to strong opinions about prompting that simply don’t align with the science. My goal is to help you feel more confident, more informed, and better equipped to advocate for your students and clients.

Whether you’re newer to AAC or have years of experience, these topics matter. AAC is a student’s voice, and we have a responsibility to protect, support, and expand it in thoughtful, ethical ways.

#autism #speechtherapy

What’s Inside:

• Why AAC evaluations should be thorough, but not take nine months, and what may be going wrong when they do
• How to approach parent-purchased devices, including those bought online, with collaboration instead of fear
• The ongoing core versus fringe vocabulary debate, and why research supports using both
• Why prompting is a teaching tool, not abuse, and how misinformation can harm collaboration and progress

Mentioned In This Episode:

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