AAC in Everyday Life: Low-Cost Communication Supports Beyond Speech

Communication is much bigger than speech.

Someone might point to a picture.

Type a sentence into a device.

Use a communication board.

Make a gesture.

Select a symbol.

Use a speech-generating device.

Sign.

Use their natural speech for some messages and another method when speech is difficult to understand.

All of these can be part of how somebody communicates.

Augmentative and alternative communication — usually shortened to AAC — is the broad term used for communication methods and tools that supplement or provide alternatives to speech.

AAC does not mean one particular device

It is easy to hear “AAC” and immediately picture a tablet speaking a sentence aloud.

That is one form of AAC, but it is only one part of a much broader communication landscape.

AAC may be:

• completely unaided;
• paper-based;
• very simple;
• electronic;
• highly specialised;
• built into an ordinary device;
• used alongside speech;
• used instead of speech;
• used only in certain environments;
• used throughout the person's day.

A person may also move between several methods depending on where they are, who they are speaking with, how tired they are, what they are trying to communicate and which communication tools are available.

What does “augmentative” and “alternative” mean?

The distinction is less important than the outcome:

Can the person communicate what they want to communicate?

AAC can be unaided, low-tech or high-tech

Communication supports are often grouped into different types.

These categories are not a ranking from “basic” to “better”.

A paper communication board may sometimes be the most effective tool in a particular situation.

A sophisticated electronic communication device may be essential in another.

Many people use both.

Why more than one communication method can matter

Speech Pathology Australia describes communication that combines different methods as multimodal communication.

That matters because one system rarely solves every communication situation.

Imagine somebody whose main AAC system is a tablet.

What happens if:

• the battery goes flat;
• the device is charging in another room;
• the screen is difficult to use outdoors;
• the environment is wet;
• the person wants to communicate something quickly;
• the device is being repaired;
• the communication partner does not know how the system works?

A simple card, gesture, communication board or another familiar method may still be useful.

The goal is not necessarily to force every message through one device.

The goal is communication access.

AAC is for adults as well as children

AAC is sometimes presented mainly through examples involving children.

But communication needs occur throughout life.

AAC may be used by people with a wide range of communication needs, including people with lifelong disability and people whose communication needs change later in life.

Some people use AAC every day.

Some use it only in certain environments.

Some use it temporarily.

Some use speech as well as AAC.

The appropriate support should be based on the individual person's communication needs and preferences rather than assumptions about their age or diagnosis.

Start with what the person needs to say

Before comparing devices, apps or accessories, think about communication itself.

For example, does the person need to:

• ask for something;
• refuse something;
• make a choice;
• ask for help;
• tell somebody they are uncomfortable;
• participate in a conversation;
• tell a story;
• ask a question;
• communicate at school or work;
• communicate with unfamiliar people;
• express an opinion;
• make a joke;
• talk about something that happened yesterday;
• communicate privately;
• give information in an emergency.

A communication system should not be limited to requesting food, drinks or activities if the person has much more to say.

Communication is about more than asking for things

A communication tool can become unnecessarily restrictive when it only gives the person options selected by somebody else.

For example:

“Do you want apple or banana?”

is useful if that is the actual choice.

But communication also needs room for:

“Neither.”

“I don't want food.”

“I want to ask you something else.”

“Stop.”

“I disagree.”

“That's funny.”

“I need help.”

A good communication system should support the person's agency, not only make instructions easier for the people around them.

Low-tech AAC can be extremely useful

Low-tech communication aids can be easy to overlook because they are inexpensive and often visually simple.

But low cost does not mean low value.

Examples include:

• laminated communication cards;
• portable choice boards;
• communication books;
• printed symbol sheets;
• key-ring communication cards;
• yes/no cards;
• alphabet boards;
• eye-gaze boards;
• written-word boards.

These can have several practical advantages.

They do not require charging.

They can be duplicated.

They may survive environments where electronics are inconvenient.

A backup can be kept in a bag, car, workplace or another frequently used location.

They can also work alongside a person's high-tech AAC rather than replacing it.

High-tech AAC can provide much more flexibility

Electronic communication systems can make larger vocabularies and more complex messages easier to access.

Depending on the person's system, they may be able to:

• select symbols or words;
• type messages;
• generate spoken output;
• store commonly used phrases;
• build sentences;
• use alternative access methods such as switches or eye gaze;
• change vocabulary for different environments.

But the fact that something is electronic does not automatically make it appropriate.

The person's physical access, language, vision, hearing, literacy, cognition, environment, communication partners and preferences all matter.

The communication partner matters too

Buying a communication device does not automatically create successful communication.

The people interacting with the AAC user also play an important role.

A communication partner might be:

• a family member;
• friend;
• teacher;
• support worker;
• colleague;
• health professional;
• shop assistant;
• community member.

Useful communication-partner behaviour may include:

• giving the person enough time to communicate;
• paying attention to the person's chosen communication method;
• not pretending to understand when they have not understood;
• learning how the person's AAC system works;
• making the system available rather than putting it out of reach;
• respecting communication such as “no”, “stop” and “I don't want that”.

Give the person time

High-tech AAC can produce speech quickly once a message is selected.

That does not mean creating the message itself is always quick.

Someone may need to:

• navigate through several screens;
• find the right symbol;
• type;
• use eye gaze;
• activate switches;
• correct a selection;
• work through motor fatigue.

Finishing the person's sentence for them may save a few seconds but can also remove their opportunity to communicate the message they intended.

Communication access includes allowing communication time.

AAC should be available where communication happens

If a communication method works only in one therapy room, there is a practical question about what happens everywhere else.

Everyday communication happens:

• at home;
• at school;
• at work;
• in the car;
• at shops;
• at medical appointments;
• at restaurants;
• at community activities;
• while visiting family;
• online;
• during recreation.

This is why portability, durability, battery life, protective cases and backup communication methods can matter just as much as the software itself.

Think about access before choosing the device

A touchscreen is not automatically accessible simply because it displays communication software.

Some people may require another way to make selections.

Depending on individual needs, options can include:

• larger touch targets;
• keyguards;
• switch access;
• alternative keyboards;
• eye gaze;
• device mounting or positioning;
• stylus or adapted access methods.

This is one area where professional assessment can be particularly important.

When professional AAC advice is useful

Speech pathologists can help assess communication needs and explore AAC options.

Depending on the person's needs, other professionals may also be involved in positioning, physical access or broader assistive technology assessment.

Professional advice can be particularly valuable when:

• communication needs are complex;
• the person is selecting a primary communication system;
• alternative access is required;
• a device is expensive;
• several systems need to be compared;
• the person is having difficulty using their current system;
• evidence is required for an NDIS funding request.

For simple, low-risk communication supports, the process may be much less complex.

What does the NDIS consider low-cost assistive technology?

Current NDIA guidance describes low-cost assistive technology as low-risk assistive technology costing less than $1,500.

The NDIA gives communication-related examples including screen magnifiers and text-to-voice apps.

For appropriate low-cost, low-risk assistive technology, the NDIA says participants generally do not need to provide quotes, assessments or evidence before buying it.

However, the support still needs to be appropriate for the participant, related to their disability and consistent with the funding available in their plan.

The NDIA also recommends getting advice when using low-cost assistive technology for the first time so that the chosen item is appropriate.

Low-cost does not automatically mean NDIS claimable

This distinction is important.

An item being inexpensive does not automatically make it an NDIS support.

Something may cost $20 and still be an ordinary everyday item.

Another item may cost $100 and have a clear disability-related assistive function for a particular participant.

The price by itself does not answer the funding question.

Ask:

What about tablets used for AAC?

Tablets require particular care under the current NDIS rules.

A general-purpose tablet is ordinarily considered a day-to-day household item and is therefore not usually an NDIS support.

That does not mean a tablet can never form part of an AAC solution.

The NDIA currently allows tablets, smartphones and apps for communication or accessibility to be considered as replacement supports in specified circumstances.

A replacement support is not additional funding.

It replaces an existing NDIS support or supports in the person's plan.

The participant must apply for the replacement support and receive written approval before spending NDIS funds on it.

What does the NDIA look at for a tablet replacement support?

Current NDIA guidance says a replacement support must:

• replace an NDIS support or supports already in the participant's plan;
• help the participant the same or more than the support being replaced;
• be on the approved replacement-support list;
• cost the same or less than the support or supports it replaces.

The replacement-support list currently includes:

• tablet devices;
• smartphones;
• apps for accessibility or communication.

The NDIA specifically gives an example involving a person with complex communication needs using a tablet as an alternative communication device.

But approval is individual.

A tablet should not be represented as automatically NDIS-funded simply because an AAC app can run on it.

Read: Replacement Supports Explained – Tablets, Smart Devices and Everyday Items Under the NDIS

Dedicated communication device or mainstream tablet?

There is no universal answer.

Accessories can be part of making AAC usable

A communication system that technically works but cannot be carried, positioned or kept powered may not work well in everyday life.

Depending on the person's needs, practical considerations might include:

• a protective case;
• screen protection;
• a stand;
• a suitable mount;
• a shoulder strap or carrying method;
• charging equipment;
• an appropriate portable power source;
• switches or access accessories.

Again, whether a particular accessory can be purchased with NDIS funding depends on its disability-related purpose, the participant's plan and current NDIS rules.

Do not forget the backup plan

If someone depends on a communication system, think about what happens when that system is unavailable.

AAC should travel with the person

If the person communicates using AAC, consider access when planning everyday activities.

For example:

At a café: Can they order what they want?

At the doctor: Can they describe what they need to communicate?

At work: Can they participate in meetings or conversations?

At school: Can they ask questions and contribute, not only answer prompted choices?

At home: Can they comment, joke, disagree and initiate conversations?

In an emergency: Can they communicate essential information quickly?

AAC is most meaningful when it supports real communication in real situations.

AAC should not be removed as a punishment

If a person relies on a communication aid, access to communication should not be treated like access to a recreational device.

For example, a tablet used as someone's primary communication system has a different function from a tablet being used only for entertainment.

If the same device performs several functions, the people supporting the AAC user need to understand which function is essential for communication.

Taking away access to someone's communication system can also take away their ability to say what they need, ask for help or object to what is happening.

AAC does not mean giving up on speech

Using AAC does not require somebody to stop using whatever natural speech they have.

A person can speak and use AAC.

They may communicate differently depending on the situation.

Speech Pathology Australia notes that using AAC does not prevent a child from developing spoken language or an adult from using their available speech.

The purpose is to expand communication options, not unnecessarily remove them.

Choosing AAC by diagnosis is usually too broad

A search such as:

“What AAC device is best for autism?”

starts with the diagnosis rather than the person.

Two autistic people may have completely different communication needs.

The same is true for people with cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, neurological conditions or any other diagnosis associated with communication differences.

A more useful starting point is:

What does this person need to communicate, what currently gets in the way, and how can they access the communication method?

A simple way to think about communication supports

What does “NDIS Claims Ready” mean at LowCost AT?

Where LowCost AT describes a product as NDIS Claims Ready, it means we have prepared product information, NDIS guidance and invoicing documentation to help participants, nominees, support coordinators and plan managers assess and submit an appropriate claim.

It does not mean the product is “NDIS approved”, automatically funded or guaranteed to be claimable.

The individual participant's disability-related needs, plan, available funding and current NDIS rules still determine whether the support is appropriate.

Questions to ask before buying an AAC-related product

Low-cost AAC does not have to mean buying more technology

Sometimes the useful next step is not another device.

It may be:

• printing a backup board;
• making the current system easier to carry;
• adding useful vocabulary;
• making communication cards available in another environment;
• training communication partners;
• changing the way a device is positioned;
• adding an appropriate access method;
• making sure the communication tool is actually available when the person needs it.

Assistive technology works best when the focus remains on the person's function and participation rather than the novelty of the equipment.

International AAC Awareness Month 2026

International AAC Awareness Month is recognised around the world each October.

The 2026 theme is:

“AAC in Everyday Life: Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond.”

That theme is a useful way to think about assistive technology.

Communication should not exist only during an assessment or therapy session.

It needs to work in everyday life.

At breakfast.

At school.

At work.

At the shops.

With friends.

At appointments.

At home.

And wherever else the person has something to say.

Frequently asked questions