Making AAC Meaningful: Strategies for Person-Centered Practices
Presented by Sara Ware
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Person-centered augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) practices prioritize the individual—not the technology—and are essential to meaningful participation and communication outcomes. This course explores how personalized AAC assessment and intervention, guided by the Participation Model framework (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013), can improve motivation, reduce abandonment, and promote inclusion for individuals who use AAC. Participants will learn how to align AAC goals with the communicator’s values, lived experiences, and cultural identity while incorporating evidence-based practices across settings. Designed for speech-language pathologists, educators, occupational therapists, and other allied health professionals, this course emphasizes practical strategies for developing truly individualized AAC practices that empower AAC users and their support systems.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the importance of providing meaningful and personalized AAC interventions to individuals with communication needs
- Identify how the Participation Model framework (Beukelman & Mirenda, 2013) can guide an AAC assessment
- State why motivation is an important component of intervention
- Highlight how person-centered and participation-focused practices can be used to develop meaningful communication interventions for individuals with complex communication needs
Meet your instructor
Sara Ware
Sara is a speech-language pathologist who has several years of experience supporting AAC users of all ages. Sara graduated with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and holds an additional certificate in augmentative and alternative communication from Stockton University. Sara is…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Defining Person-Centered AAC Practices
This chapter introduces the concept of person-centered AAC and highlights the importance of focusing on the individual’s needs, abilities, participation, and communication priorities. Learners will explore how participation-focused interventions create more meaningful, motivating, and sustainable outcomes for AAC users.
2. Personalized AAC Assessment
This chapter explains how the Participation Model framework can guide a comprehensive, person-centered AAC assessment. It reviews the importance of identifying communication strengths, participation barriers, and environmental supports as well as the importance of selecting AAC tools that support an individual’s specific capabilities, preferences, and goals. A case study demonstrates the value of individualized assessment.
3. Personalized AAC Intervention
This chapter provides strategies for developing personalized and effective AAC interventions aligned with the communicator’s unique needs, goals, and priorities. Topics include selecting meaningful targets, vocabulary customization, evidence-based intervention approaches, and techniques that support AAC learning. The chapter also emphasizes stakeholder involvement and ongoing progress monitoring to ensure interventions remain meaningful and effective over time.
