Many families hear “AAC” from a speech therapist and wonder where to begin at home. Augmentative and alternative communication is any tool that helps your child express themselves when speech alone is hard — symbol boards, apps, visual scenes, or a mix.
Start small: pick one routine (breakfast, getting dressed, or the ride to school) and model tapping or selecting words yourself. You do not need perfect sentences on day one. The goal is showing that communication is always available.
Look for AAC that grows with your child — not only fixed boards. Next-word prediction, custom vocabulary, and scenes tied to real places (home, classroom, store) reduce frustration when needs change week to week.
GlenMate Personalized AAC uses Cognitive AI for context-aware suggestions and sentence building, plus parent-customized scenes and words. It is included in our Social Skills and All-Inclusive Learning plans, with a 15-day free trial so you can see what fits your family.