AAC Glossary

FAQ

Term / Clarification
Who can be part of a hub / Any team or organisation who can meet the roles / responsibilities of a hub – critically can carry out assessments for individuals with ‘specialised AAC’ needs across a wide geographical area.
Who can be part of a spoke / Any team or organisation possessing skills or able to develop skills in identifying need and supporting the ‘core’ AAC population
Specialised AAC Population criteria /
  • Severe physical disability especially of the upper limbs.
  • Additional sensory impairment to the communication impairment.
  • In need of specialist switch access, which may need to be bespoke.
  • In need of a device that integrates spoken and written communication, as well as environment control.
  • Able to understand the purpose of a communication aid.
  • Individual working beyond cause and effect understanding.
  • Multiple disabilities which in combination impact on the individual’s ability to communicate.
  • Communication technology needs beyond the competence of the local AAC service.
  • Experience of using low tech AAC which is insufficient to enable the individual to realise their communicative potential.

Specialised AAC assessment can be requested when / Local team feel that the job of matching individual to AAC system needed is beyond their capability most effective solution is judged, by the local team themselves, as beyond their capability
Core AAC Population / Individual does not meet the criteria above.
Electronic Assistive Technology (EAT) / Electronic Assistive Technology (EAT) is any electronic product or service designed to enable independence for disabled and older people.
Assistive Technology (AT) / Assistive Technology (AT) is any product or service designed to enable independence for disabled and/or older people.
EAT to support learning / Any electronic product or service designed to enable access to education for an individual with disabilities.
EAT to support communication / Any electronic product or service designed to enable access to spoken or written communication for an individual with disabilities.
Access and control of EAT / Any product or method to enable an individual with a disability to access EAT.
Communicative competence / In relation to AAC this is generally determined as being able to operate the AAC system and it’s features, having the ability to use the language of the AAC system (symbols, text etc), interacting with others using the AAC system and using the AAC system as part of a wide range of other, natural communication modes, e.g. vocalisation, gesture etc.
Individuals, whether using AAC or speech for communication, are always developing their communicative competence.