Included, Not Excluded – Every autistic learner. Every choice. Every future.
Autistic people may have difficulties with communication and may use alternative methods to communicate. The table below highlights a range of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) methods.
Method |
Description |
Pros and Cons |
Makaton symbols and signing |
Using symbols, signs and speech as a form of communication. Signs are used along with speech for extra clarity. | Pros
Cons
|
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) |
To improve social communication and allow people to make choices, a person can communicate by handing people cards with pictures on. | Pros
Cons
|
Voice Output Communication Aids (VOCA) e.g. Proloquo2Go |
An app that gets loaded to a tablet so people can tap icons and create sentences that get read out by the device. | Pros
Cons
|
Communication books |
A picture-based book where the user points to items to communicate | Pros
Cons
|
Go Talk |
A battery-powered, speech-generating device | Pros
Cons
|
This is not an exhaustive list and there are other methods available. Finding the right method with each person can take time, so it is worth testing out a few different options to get to a solution that works for them. Download the full list here.
