Free AAC Resources for Parents, Teachers, and SLPs
Over the years I've collected links to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) resources that I find myself sharing over and over - with families, with teachers, with other SLPs. I thought these would be a nice addition to the blog because the more people that have access to AAC support, the better!
There are so many tremendous free AAC resources online (and this list is just a place to start!). Once you land on a few of these sites, I think you'll start to find even more resources tucked inside each one.
I've organized this list by topic: AAC myths and the research behind them, modeling, printable low tech communication boards, and app-specific resources for the four AAC apps I work with most often!
AAC Myths and What the Research Actually Says
There are a lot of myths about AAC out there. Some questions I hear families asking related to these myths are - "Will AAC keep my child from talking?" (my answer…no!) “Is my child/student too young for AAC?” (my answer…nope!) “Are there prerequisite for AAC?” (my answer…no way!) Here are some resources to bust these myths!
Will AAC stop a person from learning to speak? — AssistiveWare
Does AAC prevent speech development? (with research articles) — Communication Community - another favorite because this author links you to the research articles.
Intermittent, unreliable, insufficient, and expensive speech — AssistiveWare. A really helpful piece for understanding why someone who can use spoken speech might still benefit from AAC.
AAC myths and research handouts — Tobii Dynavox. These are printable, which makes them great for sharing with a team.
Setting the record straight on AAC and speech — The Informed SLP (while the informed SLP typically requires a subscription to read, this awesome post is free to view)
Modeling on an AAC Device
Modeling (also called Aided Language Stimulation) is all about you - the adult - using the AAC device. It means you point to the words on the device as you speak. When you model AAC, it shows your child that the device is valuable, and it gives them a chance to see the words in action.
Modeling: use AAC to teach AAC (article and video) — AssistiveWare
Aided Language Stimulation Explained (video) — A great video under three minutes, with clear explanations of why modeling matters.
What is aided language stimulation, and why does it work? — AssistiveWare
Communication partner skills for AAC learners — AssistiveWare
Real life modeling examples for home — a post I wrote with pictures and examples of how to model on your child's AAC device during everyday routines.
Modeling AAC on vacation — another one of mine, with five core words to try while you're traveling.
Free Printable Low Tech Communication Boards
It's always great to have backup printed communication boards in case something goes wrong with a high tech AAC device. Below are a few pre-made options.
It can be helpful for families take screenshots of their child's actual device (especially of a heavily customized or important page), print them, and keep them somewhere accessible. That way you have a match for the system your child already knows, and you're covered if the device breaks, dies, or has to stay behind.
Master list of free printable lite tech communication boards — NWACS. A well-maintained roundup covering most major AAC companies - also includes some great AAC resources for emergencies.
AssistiveWare core word boards (Proloquo2Go) — AssistiveWare
TD Snap Communication Boards — Tobii Dynavox
Touch Chat w/ Word Power Communication Boards — PRC Saltillo
LAMP Communication Boards - PRC Saltillo
Manual boards for PRC-Saltillo systems (LAMP, Unity, WordPower) — AAC Language Lab (free account required for some downloads)
Universal Core communication boards — Project Core. Free, research-based, and available in several formats and sizes.
AAC App Resources: Proloquo2Go, TD Snap, TouchChat, and LAMP
Here are resources to get you started with a few different AAC apps. There are far more AAC apps out there than the four below - these are simply the ones I'm most familiar with and had a few resources compiled for!
Proloquo2Go (AssistiveWare)
Proloquo2Go is an app made by AssistiveWare. AssistiveWare writes excellent articles on a wide range of AAC topics - I find myself referencing posts on their blog quite often (you’ll see many of them in the Modeling section above).
Getting started with Proloquo2Go (setup, core words, and training videos) — AssistiveWare
The full Learn AAC article library — AssistiveWare. Useful no matter which app you use.
AssistiveWare YouTube Channel - full of videos regarding programming and device implementation.
TD Snap (Tobii Dynavox)
TD Snap is an app created by Tobii Dynavox. They offer a lot of great training for both parents and professionals, and I take many of their courses myself. A lot of them are free, and some offer ASHA CEUs. TD Snap offers several vocabulary options such as Core First, Motor Plan, and Express.
What is TD Snap Core First? — Tobii Dynavox
What is TD Snap Motor Plan? — Tobii Dynavox
What is TD Snap Express? - Tobii Dynavox
Training and learning resources — Tobii Dynavox
The Learning Hub: free self-paced AAC courses — Tobii Dynavox - here is the course catalog (they have some great courses on switch access!) - heads up, you do have to login to access courses, but its free to make an account - I highly recommend!
TouchChat (PRC-Saltillo)
TouchChat is an app in the PRC-Saltillo family. I love TouchChat and use it often, but I find it takes a bit of intentional practice to learn to edit. Once you get some of the basics down, it gets much simpler. These support articles can help when when you’re learning to edit a TouchChat device.
PRC-Saltillo Knowledge Base: programming and support articles — this is where the how-to articles now live for the parent company of Touch Chat - and it's searchable. I was just digging around in here and noticed the search bar will use AI to try and summarize an answer for you. So you can try being specific in your search (e.g., “how to hide multiple buttons on Touch Chat?) and I was pretty impressed with the answers!
Touch Chat support articles - Support articles specific to Touch Chat
TouchChat video tutorials — YouTubs Channel with some helpful video supports
LAMP Words for Life (PRC-Saltillo)
LAMP Words for Life is also an app within the PRC-Saltillo family. The main feature of LAMP is that every word lives in exactly one place - you won't find a word repeated in multiple folders. The app takes a motor planning approach, so the user learns one unique motor path for each individual word. A good example of a motor planning approach is how we use a keyboard. For example, we know the letter "G" is always going to be in the middle of an English keyboard, no matter which keyboard we're using. As we get more familiar with the motor plan, it starts to become more automatic for our bodies (think about how many of us can type without looking at the keys!).
LAMP Words for Life overview and the LAMP approach — PRC-Saltillo
LAMP Words for Life video tutorials — short, task-specific walkthroughs for editing
LAMP Words for Life webinars and classes - they have a mixture of free and paid trainings - similar to Tobii, you also have to make an account to access, but creating the account is free. I’ve done a few of their free trainings to learn more about LAMP.
A Few More AAC Resources Worth Bookmarking (honestly some of my favorites!)
These are resources I love that don't quite fit into the categories above.
AAC and stimming: understanding the role of stimming in communication — AssistiveWare (I love this post and share it often!!)
How to choose an AAC grid size — AssistiveWare (a robust grid size is SO important - definitely check this post out - I also reference this one often)
4 things every robust AAC system needs — AssistiveWare (another great read - make sure you’ve got a keyboard accessible!)
Integrating literacy instruction with AAC — AssistiveWare
Northwest Augmentative Communication Society (NWACS) — our regional AAC organization here in the Pacific Northwest, with a great blog, a provider directory, and an annual conference.
Still Feeling a Little Lost?
You don't have to sort through all of this on your own! I'm Haley, a speech-language pathologist in Seattle, and AAC is what I do all day!
Say Their Way offers in-home speech therapy for kids and young adults in the Seattle area, plus online AAC coaching for parents, teachers, and providers across Washington state.
Thanks for reading!
I’ll keep this post updated as I continue to find resources I love!
This blog provides general educational information related to speech and language development and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Content reflects a combination of cited resources, clinical experience, and professional expertise. It is not intended as medical or therapeutic advice and does not replace a comprehensive evaluation by a licensed speech-language pathologist or other qualified professional. Reading this content does not establish a provider–client relationship. Any external organizations or programs mentioned are shared as informational resources only and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation.