Making AAC Work: Finding the Right Supports for Every Communication Journey
As backpacks are packed, classrooms are prepared, and students begin a new school year, AAC teams may be asking:
Where do I start?
Whether you're an SLP, educator, parent, or communication partner, one question often comes up when supporting an AAC user: Where do I start? The good news is that you do not have to figure it out alone.
The AAC Language Lab was designed to be more than a collection of activities. It is a place to explore, plan, and grow, ultimately helping communication partners identify where to begin, build language skills, and support continued progress over time. The platform brings together tools, activities, lesson plans, resources, personal stories, and community contributions to help make AAC implementation more meaningful and sustainable.
Start with the Resources
Many AAC teams begin their journey by exploring the growing collection of resources (free and those that are available with a subscription) throughout the AAC Language Lab. From planning tools and communication supports to implementation guides, manual boards, and visual supports, these resources are designed to help communication partners turn ideas into action.
One great starting point is the AAC Language Lab Guide, which helps teams identify a learner's current language stage, select meaningful objectives, connect those goals to lesson plans and activities, and document progress along the way. The guide is designed to help users move from assessment and planning to everyday implementation.
The AAC Language Lab also includes lesson plans, activities, communication partner supports, literacy connections, curriculum resources, and practical tools that can be used across home, school, therapy, and community settings. These resources are intended to support authentic communication opportunities throughout the day rather than limiting communication practice to isolated therapy sessions.
Learn from the Making AAC Work Blog
AAC implementation is about more than materials. It is about people, experiences, and practical strategies that support the journey.
The Making AAC Work blog was created to share real-world stories, practical implementation ideas, and perspectives from individuals who use AAC, their families, communication partners, and professionals. Topics have included communication support strategies, autism acceptance, mental health and AAC, and personal journeys that highlight the many ways AAC can empower individuals to communicate and participate fully.
These articles offer practical insights while reminding us that every AAC journey is unique. Whether you are looking for implementation tips, inspiration, or new perspectives, the blog is a place to learn from others who are navigating similar experiences.
Meet the AAC Language Lab Ambassadors
Sometimes the best learning comes directly from those who use AAC every day.
The AAC Language Lab Ambassador Program highlights individuals who use AAC and are willing to share their experiences, insights, and expertise with the broader AAC community. Through blog articles via the Communicators in Action series, videos, presentations, and other contributions, our ambassadors provide valuable perspectives about communication, self-advocacy, education, employment, relationships, and daily life.
Their stories help communication partners better understand the lived experience of AAC while also providing encouragement and practical ideas for other AAC users and families. As new ambassadors join the program, their voices continue to expand the diversity of perspectives represented throughout the AAC Language Lab community.
Explore Jane's Place
One of the most unique areas of the AAC Language Lab is Jane's Place, a special space created to honor the memory and legacy of Jane Odom, whose passion for AAC education, creativity, and resource sharing touched countless lives.
Jane loved connecting people with AAC resources and often encouraged others to share their ideas and materials with the broader AAC community. Jane's Place carries that vision forward by providing an online space where communication partners can exchange implementation resources, activity ideas, and practical supports for individuals who use AAC.
Jane’s Place serves a reminder that the AAC community grows stronger when we learn from one another, share what works, and continue building opportunities for communication and connection together. You can share your materials at JANE'S PLACE
Bringing It All Together
The AAC Language Lab is designed to support every stage of the AAC journey. Whether you are identifying goals, searching for activities, developing lesson plans, exploring implementation resources, reading personal stories, learning from ambassadors, or sharing ideas through Jane's Place, there are tools available to help you make AAC part of everyday communication.
No single resource has all the answers. But when planning tools, instructional supports, lived experiences, and community contributions come together, AAC implementation becomes more intentional, collaborative, and effective.
Ready to Learn More?
Continue Your Learning on AAC Learning Journey
The AAC Language Lab provides practical resources and implementation supports, but sometimes you may be looking for more structured professional development.
For those who want to build their AAC knowledge through guided instruction, AAC Learning Journey offers formal training opportunities, self-paced learning modules, and professional development experiences designed to support AAC implementation across a variety of settings. Whether you are new to AAC or looking to expand your expertise, the AAC Learning Journey provides opportunities to deepen your understanding and strengthen your skills through comprehensive learning experiences.
To explore available courses and learning opportunities, visit the AAC Learning Journey and continue your path toward confident, effective AAC support.
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Making AAC Work