INTERNATIONAL AAC AWARENESS MONTH - October 2009

"The silence of speechlessness is never golden. We all need to communicate and connect with each other – not just in one way, but also in as many ways as possible. It is a basic human need, a basic human right. And much more than this, it’s a basic human power." (Williams, 2000)

October is the 3rd annual AAC Awareness month, promoted by ISAAC. AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication; the many different ways to aid people with little or no speech. ISAAC, the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, is a worldwide alliance that has been working since 1983 to create opportunities for people who communicate with little or no speech.



AAC aids come in all shapes and sizes; from sign language, to books or boards with pictures, words or letters, to computer-based aids. The theme of the 2009 International AAC Awareness Month is "AAC and Communication". AAC is communication, but there are many different methods of AAC that work for different people.  Also, most people who use AAC methods communicate in a variety of ways.

Useful links:
www.aacawareness.org/aacevents.html