Guides

AAC guides

Plain-English help with AAC, for families, teachers and anyone new to it. No jargon, no sales pitch, just clear answers to the questions people actually ask.

Start here

• What is AAC?

  A warm, jargon-free introduction to Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

• Core vocabulary explained

  Why a small set of high-frequency words does most of the work, and where to start.

• Communication aids explained

  From low-tech paper boards to AAC apps and devices, and how to choose.

For families

• Helping a nonverbal child communicate

  First practical, reassuring steps for a parent of a nonverbal or minimally-verbal child.

• Will AAC stop my child talking?

  The most common fear, and what the evidence actually says. The short answer is no.

• How to model AAC at home

  A plain-English guide to showing your child how words are used, without pressure.

• The first words to teach on AAC

  Which words to start with, and why core words beat naming objects.

Choosing an app

• How much does an AAC app cost?

  An honest 2026 look at AAC app pricing, one-off versus subscription, and what to check.

• Why AAC should never be switched off

  What to look for so a lapsed payment can never take a person’s voice away.

• AAC for teenagers and adults

  Communication that grows up too, age-respectful and never babyish.

Funding, schools and the NHS

• How to fund AAC in the UK

  NHS routes, EHCPs and personal budgets, and charity grants, in plain English.

• AAC and the NHS

  How UK AAC services and speech and language therapy referrals actually work.

• AAC for SEN schools

  Using one app consistently across a classroom and mixed devices.