Fact · Accessibility and health
ASHA says AAC is augmentative when it supplements existing speech, and alternative when it is used in place of speech that is absent or not functional.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“AAC is augmentative when used to supplement existing speech, alternative when used in place of speech that is absent or not functional”
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, ASHA Practice Portal, n.d., Definition section.
Open the original- What it measures
- The same passage notes that AAC can also be temporary, for example when a patient cannot speak after surgery in intensive care.
- What it does not show
- The terms describe how a device is used, not how severe a person's impairment is. Some users switch between speech and AAC depending on the situation.