Jennifer Seale, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Program Director
Waisman Center
University of Wisconsin-Madison
That Box is Not Magic. Reframing the Augmented Interaction: A Situated AACtion Framework
Individuals who use and/or can benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can experience a variety of social barriers in a predominantly mouth speaking culture. Considering various factors (e.g., capacity, design, policy) that can impact success with AAC, this talk will explore ways in which AAC systems may be contributing to barriers commonly reported in the literature (e.g., communication rate, technology demands, expertise). Beyond technology, AAC success requires community integration and support – work evaluating these systems and targeting capacity building models to increase access to AAC services will be shared. Mixed-methods research aimed at understanding lived experiences of interacting with, and through, AAC offer an important perspective shift that can be used to inform clinical practice, product design, advocacy, and research efforts.