Speech therapy and AAC therapy can support the same goal: communication.

Families sometimes worry that AAC means stopping speech therapy. In practice, many therapy plans support speech, language, AAC, gestures, visuals, and communication partner strategies together. Speech therapy can build speech, language, understanding, and participation, while AAC therapy gives a person reliable ways to communicate when speech alone is not enough.

How speech therapy helps

Speech therapy may focus on sounds, words, language understanding, sentence building, fluency, social communication, and functional communication goals. A child might work on clearer speech, following directions, combining words, telling a story, asking questions, or using language during school and home routines.

How AAC therapy helps

AAC therapy supports reliable communication access through tools such as picture boards, signs, gestures, written words, devices, or apps. AAC can help a person express more than requests. It can support comments, questions, feelings, protest, repair, humor, school participation, and self-advocacy.

Why using both can help

When a person can communicate more successfully, they may have more chances to practice language, participate in routines, and reduce frustration. AAC can reduce pressure while speech and language skills are still developing. It can also give communication partners a clearer way to understand what the person wants to say right now.

How families can choose next steps

The best starting point is an individualized evaluation and conversation about current communication, daily routines, school needs, and family goals. Some families may start with speech-language therapy. Others may need AAC trials or caregiver coaching early. The answer hub and contact page can help families decide what to ask next.

Quick FAQ

Can AAC users still work on speech? Yes. Many people use more than one communication method.

Who decides what AAC system to use? The decision should consider the client, family, communication partners, access needs, and daily routines.

Can AAC be used at school? Yes, carryover planning can help school teams support communication.

Is AAC only for people with no speech? No. AAC may help when speech is limited, unclear, unreliable, or hard to use in some settings.

This article is general information and is not medical advice or a diagnosis.