#aac picture board

[autistic-zukoao3]

My AAC app didn't have any pictures for overstimulation, so I drew some. Figured I might as well do a few skin colours while I was at it. I sampled these colours from actual humans, so I couldn't fudge up my attempts because I don't know enough colour theory to make flesh tones.

Feel free to download these and use them!

#free aac app #aac app #aac positivity #aac user #aac practice #aac #aac picture board #aac board

[milkweedman]

Trying to make an aac board for myself after realizing it's rly necessary yesterday. But I was also looking up examples and now I feel like im doing it wrong ? Hrm.

#aac board #mostly in that i wrote down a list of words i would like to be able to point to #and started translating them too #all the boards i see are largely pictures but interpreting pictures is hard for me #idk i feel like i dont understand how to do this ? #its just a piece of paper tho i can make a better one when i figure it out #autism

[lavcommunicatez]

i love you nonspeakers. i love you nonverbal people.

i love you nonverbal people who prefer to be called nonverbal. i love you nonspeaking people who prefer to be called nonspeaking. i love you nonspeaking nonverbal people who tired of debate about terminology or can’t keep up with it and just want be heard and communication rights respected.

i love you people who not speak ever since birth ( hi! ). i love you people who use to speak but experience regression / catatonia / burnout or with degenerative physical disabilities. i love you nonspeaking nonverbal people with acquired disabilities.

i love you multimodal communicators. i love you people with complex communication needs. i love you apraxic people who are unreliably speaking. i love you minimally verbal people. i love you semiverbal people. i love you speaking people with selective mutism with intermittent speech ( who listen to us and not speak over )

I love you nonspeaking nonverbal autistic people. i love you nonspeaking / nonverbal people with other intellectual & developmental disabilities. i love you nonspeaking / nonverbal people with apraxia / dyspraxia ( full body or apraxia of speech ) . I love you nonspeaking nonverbal people with brain injury with stroke with aphasia with genetic disorders. i love you nonspeaking / nonverbal people with mental health disabilities that affect language ( eg schizophrenia ) .

I love you AAC users. I love you users of text based AAC. I love you users of picture based AAC. I love you users of low tech AAC. I love you people who can’t afford the big expensive robust systems and rely on free apps or low tech for that reason. I love you people who need small grid size. I love you people who need visual accommodations to AAC like high contrast. I love you people who need alternate access like switch , eye gaze , head track , joystick , partner assisted scanning to make AAC accessible. I love you nonspeaking / nonverbal people who use sign languages. I love you PECS users. I love you letter board users. I love you people who need human support to use AAC , people who use methods like FC and RPM and S2C and all the “ discredited ” method that are constant at risk of being take away from you.

I love you nonspeaking nonverbal people who haven’t found a way to communicate with words that works for them yet. i love you people who communicate mostly or entirely with behavior with gesture with pointing with vocal sounds not words. i love you people who only way communicate is what the system calls “challenging behavior.” I love you people who communicate through violent meltdown, who SIB and hurt others , run away unsafely , destroy property etc and who are punish institutionalize incarcerate or other abused oppressed instead of helped find other way to communicate. i love you nonverbal nonspeaking people who won’t ever see this post, who under institution control or informal more subtle control and don’t have access to social media , or who disability make social media hard , or who just don't like / have interest in being on here (was me for a while !)

I love you nonverbal and nonspeaking people who have found a home in the nonverbal / high support need community on here and who feel like experience is represent. i love you nonverbal and nonspeaking people who have found a home in offline AAC / nonspeaking world like CommunicationFirst and the spellling to communicate conferences. I love you nonverbal and nonspeaking people who not find their " home " in the disability / nonverbal nonspeaking community yet , who not see own experience represent anywhere.

i love you nonspeakers of color. i love you nonspeaking nonverbal queer and trans people. i love you physically disabled nonspeaking / nonverbal people. i love you mentally ill / Mad nonspeaking nonverbal people. i love you poor nonspeaking nonverbal people. i love you nonspeaking / nonverbal people not from global north.

i love you nonverbal people. i love you nonspeaking people. we are great and we deserve to be heard.

#sorry if post sound bias / prioritizing nonspeaking term over nonverbal by writing it first or sometimes forget write both #prefer nonspeaking and instinct is write first but both equally good! #institution mention #long post #nonspeaking #nonverbal #semiverbal #autism #i/dd #disability #lav talkz

[gwydion-aacblog]

after very careful thought and research , gwydion figure out what really best AAC look like to express all possible human thoughts . there is no holes or flaws in this !

picture . digital AAC board with buttons that say , in order : fuck me , oh fuck , fuck you , fuck yes , fuck no , fuck this , fuck , fuck off , fuck that . end picture .

to explain : this is sarcasm joke , about people who give AAC that have very little words to use , and sometimes not really possible communicate anything useful , or anything not " approve " .

use swear words , because people very often restrict and prevent AAC users swear - even if same age peers do and can understand purpose .

some AAC users limit in words for disability reasons , but some limit just because people do not trust and believe possible . this joke make very extreme example , but hope can see point .

#swearing

[nonspeakingkiku]

This is most of Kiku's low tech AAC stuff ☺️

ID: letterboards, coreboards, communication cards, and two PODD books spread out on a pink and purple crochet blanket. End ID

ID: Two PODD books on a pink and purple crochet blanket. End ID

ID: Five different color letterboards spread out on a pink and purple blanket. End ID

ID: Six communication boards layed out out on a pink and purple blanket. End ID

ID: Two LAMP words for life communication boards, one high contrast the other not.

ID: Three stacks of communication cards on a pink background. End ID

Kiku has a few other communication boards that are scattered through the house and Kiku didn't remember to get them and Kiku also has a picture card binder, a visual schedule, and 1 tactile symbol (want to have a whole collection one day). There might also be some other things that Kiku can't think of right now.

#kiku squeaks #special interest #autism #actually autistic #autistic #nonverbal #nonspeaking #aac user #apraxia #dyspraxia #low tech acc #AAC #communication boards #podd book #letterboard

[autism-polls]

#autism poll #actually disabled #autism acceptance month #autism awareness #autism positivity #actually autistic #autism spectrum disorder #autistic #autism #autism acceptance #tumblr polls #poll #communication

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

[id: screenshot of fiber arts page in symbol based aac app, left side have all kind of sheep breed with real pictures, middle have other animals and fiber tools, right has yarn weight and verbs. end id]

usually not share AAC because personal private but made board for fiber arts n really happy with

only add words relevant, & many verbs n other words in other page but probably still missing tools and such like all non sheep breed words

use real pictures of sheepies!!!! like jacob picture most look silly favorite

#🍞.txt #aac #aac user #wool special interest #fiber arts #tumblr not like me picture really blurry :(

[zebulontheplanet]

Hello. Hope you dont mind me asking. What do you mean by aac. After searching it seems to be a broad term. My friends and I often communicate via sign language or typing on our phones and showing the screen. Is this what you do? (I'm referring to the post about going to the doctors.)

I hope this ask is friendly. I'm enjoying learning about different non verbal and disabled communities and finding how I can be a part of them.

Plain text: “Hello. Hope you dont mind me asking. What do you mean by aac.

After searching it seems to be a broad term. My friends and I often communicate via sign language or typing on our phones and showing the screen. Is this what you do? (I'm referring to the post about going to the doctors.)

I hope this ask is friendly. I'm enjoying learning about different non verbal and disabled communities and finding how I can be a part of them.”

Hey there! It’s good that you’re learning! So, AAC is supposed to be a broad term. AAC means any communicative way besides speaking. So sign language (although this is a debated topic and not everyone sees it as AAC and I can’t speak on this issue because I’m not Deaf, but someone is free to correct me!), gestures, communication cards, boards with pictures, texting, text to speech programs on a high tech device like an iPad, symbol based programs on a high tech device like an iPad, etc are all AAC.

Personally when I talk about AAC, I usually (unless stated otherwise) mean a high tech AAC device. I currently use an iPad with a few apps on it. The most common app I use is proloquo4text.

When I was at the doctors, I used my text to speech app, proloquo4text on an iPad. I simply type what I want, and then click the play button, and it says out loud what I typed.

It’s a pretty neat app and is the most common one I use! Sometimes I just use my phone and show people what I type, especially when I’m at the pharmacy because it’s just easiest and leads to less mistakes. But yeah! I mostly use a High tech device, which is an iPad with a text to speech program.

I hope this helps! If you have anymore questions then feel free to ask! Have a lovely day!

#zebrambles #aac #actually nonverbal

[clownrecess]

I want to talk about using AAC while in wet environments (Like a pool, or the snow).

I personally use a high tech AAC device, and it is not water proof. My device was expensive and is obviously very important to me, so I do not want to ruin it by getting it wet. Being able to communicate at all times is very important, so I want to talk about some ways to use AAC in wet environments. I've seen some people just put their device in like a really big plastic bag, but that is a relatively simple concept I think so instead I'll be talking about other ways to use AAC when you need to communicate in wet environments.

One way to use AAC in water or wet environments is a communication board.

For those of you who may not know, communication boards are a type of low tech AAC that consists of a board with pictures, symbols, or words that a person can point to in order to communicate their message. While I typically use a high tech AAC device, I have found that communication boards can be a great option for when I'm in wet environments, like a pool.

One of the main advantages of using a communication board in wet environments is that they are much more durable than high tech AAC devices. Communication boards can be made out of materials such as plastic or laminated paper, which are both waterproof and able to withstand the wear and tear of being used in wet environments.

Another advantage of using a communication board is that it allows me to communicate without having to worry about any damage to my AAC device.

Of course, using a communication board does have its limitations. It can be slower and less efficient than using a high tech AAC device, and it may not be as customizable or personalized to my specific needs. However, I have found that in wet environments, the benefits of using a communication board outweigh these limitations.

Overall, as an AAC user, it's important to have a range of communication options available to us depending on our specific needs and situations. While I still prefer my high tech AAC device for everyday use, I have found that communication boards can be a great option for when I'm in wet environments.

#actually autistic #neurodivergent #aac user #nonspeaking autistic #autism #nonspeaking #aac device #aac users #disabled #communication board #communication cards #disability aids #nonspeaking autism

[the-rest-is-silenc3]

Great AAC resource

With this website, you can make your own boards. It's really good for low tech aac. You can use it to make fringe boards and communication cards. There are options for how big you want the images and words to be. You can upload your own pictures. It's really good.

#disability #disabled #autism #autistic #actuallyautistic #actually autistic #aac #aac user #developmentally disabled #developmental disability

[autistic-zukoao3]

Bold+Contrasting Colours!

I made these to represent "meltdown" bc I didn't have any on my AAC app.

As before, feel free to use if you want!

#aac user #aac positivity #aac #aac picture board #aac board #autistic meltdown #meltdown #bold colors #cw bold colours #contrasting colors #cw contrasting colours

[autisticdreamdrop]

here's our home board side to side and up and down! we've been working on it lots and adding picture on CoughDrop (this AAC) if you know a blog or place where we can get AAC photos let us know!!

#our aacs #aac help #aac #aacs #high tech aac #aac user #aac practice #aac device #coughdrop aac #coughdrop #coughdrop app #coughdrop aac aap #communication board #communication boards #communication #augmentative and alternative communication #alternative communication #nonverbal communication #digital aac

[gwydion-aacblog]

some thoughts on strong AAC vocabulary . 

this is about , in specific , AAC that use pictures for buttons , because this what know .

also , disclaimer , not SLP or someone train to help others with set up AAC . probably can not give all that much help if ask , just want say these things so that people understand AAC not so easy as " put in every possible word . " 

important thing about AAC is that have access to communicate any same things that peers without AAC can . please note words that use : have access , and , communicate same things . 

some people even with access will not always have ability , but that alone is not reason take away . unless word in self distress so much that AAC user start avoid AAC , should not take away " uncomfortable " words like those about body parts and death . 

this in mind , some AAC users do use smaller board sizes with less buttons , because can not see properly what pictures and words is . that make harder choose what words to keep or not , especially if not often use certain ones . gwydion for example have 96 places for buttons , but realistically in most pages use 40 or less . this might sound like lots , but really need be clever and think careful about what include so that actually useful , not just " dead space . " 

so what mean to communicate same things , then ? well , not always need all same long words . should only have words like alliteration or hieroglyphs in AAC if actually have very important reason use these words often , or can not just type when do need ... which is honestly , not most AAC users .

still , even without these specific words , should have access to words that allow explain general ideas if do want talk about these things . ( there is eventually point even this will fail , some things just too complicate . but for everyday ideas , this should be true . )

side note . yes , good AAC should also have way to type with normal keyboard . but , this not something everyone can use reliably , if at all - big big part in why need make sure core vocabulary strong , and that any changes do not take away so much that harder use AAC . for anything take , ideally should try put something in place .

should have access talk about feelings , good and bad . should have access talk things that like , and ones that dislike too . should have access talk about hard things like abuse and death , especially as AAC users often very at risk with comorbid disabilities . should have access talk about body and body parts , especially to be able report abuse and hurt . 

should even have access to say " rude " things , things that can help set boundary . this is why defend AAC user right to swear - time and place , but sometimes " go away " is too soft , especially when AAC can not change tone in voice . not always need be swear of course , but swear especially can very easy show different between " just need sad alone time right now " and " feel very overwhelm , will bite - someone could get hurt . "

AAC so so much more than just make basic requests for food , or say sad when can not even explain why . words in AAC should be able communicate experiences , not just requests , and include words that important to that AAC user . this means can not just load AAC with all words in language : for example gwydion not need say ionisation or quizzical enough to have reason include in AAC , but do have folders for words about sex and make music , because do talk about these things often enough . 

this also is why think people really should not try set up AAC without help , or if really not have other choice , that need be very very self aware so know when something not work out . just because can type specific word do not mean need that word in AAC - might sometimes be surprise with how much can say even when not use specific words . add things only when absolutely sure can not proper communicate idea without that word , and will need often enough that waste time to just type .

#aac user #nonverbal #AAC

[pixierainbows]

Hi Pixie! Thank you for all your wonderful posts about AAC! I’m autistic and a speech therapist, and it’s so motivating to see AAC help someone communicate, find a community and share beautiful art. :)

Have you ever used no-tech AAC like a theme board or communication book? What do you think of no-tech AAC compared to your tablet?

Thanks again!

Pixie use many different ways to communicate . Not just AAC device . Pixies speech therapist say everybody should have many different ways of communicating and is encouraging to pixie find more ways to communicate .

Pixie like use sign language, is fastest way of communicating but need translator and very not much People understand sign language And Pixie only know few signs so is not very useful except for with guardians them understand pixies signing .

Pixie also have laminated cards for emergencies, mostly used for when strangers think Pixie being out in public is a problem , or try bother pixie , or if need to communicate with people authorities like police …

For other emergencies Pixie have cellphone thing with important messages pre programmed for different kind of emergencies , to communicate long distance with guardians .

Because AAC device take most long time But is also have the most number of words . Pixie use AAC device for in person conversation where need more words than have on picture cards . Or for internet things what not can use any other way .

pixie most often use mix of sign language and AAC device .

hope is answer your questions , please to feel free ask more specific questions if have !

#asks and answers #actually nonverbal #nonverbal #full time aac user #nonverbal communication

[magz]

hi magz! I was wondering if you have any resources for free aac programs for android devices? even just an apk download would be fine, but my speech has been getting worse and worse due to seizures/neurological activity and I feel the need to be prepared. thank you so much (for everything you do!)

would recommend have more than 1 of try in case.

Also check notice pattern what other aspect language n speak have issue, so can choose app good !

(example issue: relation words to each other. remember what words. assign words and pictures.)

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps available Android device, here ....

text-based aac:

Spoken AAC ("less" feature in free version.)

have multiple decent basic voice in-built and text prediction. option for dark mode + large text (only 2 setting tho) + only speak sentence when finish or speak while select. symbol next to word look minimal symbol. It need email for account, but that all really.

Look To Speak

Google app, where select pre-written phrase with eyesight detection, n it read it out. pre-select phrase can be edit n added.

-

Just "Text-to-speech" :

Both lil bit wonky n rely on phone TTS voice. Both very simple, which strength n weakness. Are on F-droid App.

eSpeak.

TTS-util.

symbol-based AAC:

Coughdrop AAC (2 month trial)

classic-style symbol AAC, but with cloud and open source. Design kinda outdated, but alas.

Leeloo AAC (free version basic feature. but 3 day for premium trial)

symbol AAC with category type, modern-style design n more settings. Is intend for kids n is noticeable, n there multiple feature behind pay wall. Is however, decent for presets use, when not have energy / ability make own full sentence spontaneous. It have bit issue with big font setting though (default magz phone setting for visual aid)

AAC Cboard (mainly base on free iirc)

more streamline classic-style symbol AAC. Require CBoard account.

Big Text Communication:

Large Text: Banner Creator (better than "Make it big" app that have so many ads n intrusive) - make big text so other people can see. (can also make into image

Deaf Note

- type out message n will appear upside down if person at other side. have text-to-speech feature (what you "say"), and speech-to-text feature (what other person "say")

Different quality n different use case. Hope work for you.

Am bit difficult communicate this n make list.

#anonymous #ask post #o post #reference #accessibility #aac #android #response

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

this should go without saying but “everyone can have ability to self advocate” and “everyone can self advocate right this second” are two different concept.

i say this even thought it sounds obvious because! see parents of nonspeaking level 3 autistic kid (but also adults) w high support needs say their kid don’t have functional communication, that they worried abt their offspring’s future—what happens if they die and not able to be here to take care of them anymore? their offspring dont have functional communication, can’t tell you anyone mistreated them abused them right now, and no idea if they will able to develop it in future.

and late diagnosed, lower support needs, and/or level 1, mostly speaking autistics come in very strong (many attack parents bc see “parent of autistic kid?” immediately think “ableist autism mom!!!”), accuse parents of not presuming competence, accuse parents of abuse, accuse parents prioritizing words over behavioral communication, accuse parents not listening to offspring’s behaviors. say “your child is self advocating, they can, don’t say they can’t!” or say or imply their child don’t self advocate right now because parents not do enough.

i’m all for presume competence. presume competence so so important. but, presume competence means “everyone can learn with proper support and accommodations, even if they may not seem like it on surface.” not “everyone have hidden skills they possess right this second everyone can do everything right now or eventually in the future!”

yes, most behavior is communication! (most not all bc tics, severe apraxia, etc). but the truth is behavior only goes so far. you can only communicate so much with behavior. even if other people presume every behavior as communication, may still misinterpret.

yes! you can argue screaming meltdown is communicating is self advocating! but screaming even two words “too loud! too loud! is different than screaming noises. in first scenario you immediately know what trigger meltdown! you immediately know what stimuli to remove! but the latter, just screaming noises—is it the noise? if it clothes scratchy? is it wrong spoon wrong plate? is it being interrupted? is it too many feelings?

“you can show them picture options and let them point! that is still self advocacy!” yes, but needing someone to provide you pictures is hardly same as able to go to pictures AAC yourself and select spontaneously.

not to mention that… the ability to know what you want to communicate, then go to pictures (whether app or physical printed), recognize what the pictures are, know what picture correlate to what you want communicate, have the motor skills and visual skills to pick the picture out of all the other pictures, then hand it to someone—all very basic skills taken for granted by most late diagnosed low support level 1 mostly speaking autistics. most probably never ever struggled with it. most probably don’t even realize so many nonspeaking kids and adults struggle with this. not everyone have ability to do this!! giving a nonspeaking minimally speaking person communication is not as simple as handing someone an AAC board and they magically can communicate.

what if what you want to communicate is not in picture?

all of these facts has become a taboo thing to admit in autistic circles.

and like i’m even nervous to say “everyone can have the ability to self advocate” because it’s such a extreme definitive generalizing sentence. who am i to make such a generalizing statement? do i know every possible manifestation of every possible disability that affect visual/motor/communication/cognition/etc? NO!

because you don’t know, because you are never sure, 100% presume competence. you never know. give them the chance to learn. see if any environmental factors are limiting them. try as much as you can.

but presume competence shouldn’t be weaponzied… not “if your child/client/etc unable to do this, you’re definitely bad abusive incompetent not doing enough all your fault” without nuance. sometimes it is the parent/professional/etc’s fault. sometimes it’s not.

a randomly selected nondisabled person, able bodied and neurotypical. learning to ski. not olympian champion. the parents are abusive, not providing them with all the lessons all the best equipment all the support? the coach are incompetent, not believing the person, not presuming competence, not believing they can be olympian champion? the equipment not the best in the world (even if best, not enough!!)!

#idk if i make sense i just started rambling #actually autistic #actuallyautistic #nonspeaking #nonverbal #aac device #aac user #high support needs #presume competence #loaf screm #long post