AAC in Adolescence

Abstract

Adolescence is a unique developmental period, variably referred to as occurring between the ages of 10 and 20, sometimes further subdivided into early, middle, and later adolescence (e.g., Turkstra, 2000). During this time, major physical, cognitive, social, linguistic, and emotional changes occur. As a developmental stage, it is often described in terms of a transition, a bridge that originates in childhood and culminates in adulthood (Whyte, 2001).  Adolescence brings unique challenges for young people who need Augmentative and Alternative with particular focus on their identity, peer connections, complexity of language, and independence as they transition into adulthood (Smith,2015)

This interactive seminar will explore the following issues for adolescence who are AAC users:

• Facilitating and supporting meaningful peer interactions – Friendships!
• Language Matters!   Providing and using vocabulary that matters for adolescents
• Narrative Development – Creating and Sharing MY story!
• Supporting Agency & Autonomy – I have a say in my life!

This session is intended as an invitation to engage in conversation with professionals, relatives, researchers  and AAC users to proactively consider the challenges and opportunities provided when careful thought is given to  the unique this critical life stage possess to not only the adolescence themselves but to those who task it is to help these young people cross the bridge linking childhood to adulthood.  The aim is to critically examine whether our current pedagogical practices, our responsibility of guiding children into adulthood (van Manen, 2015), are intentionally and meaningfully inclusive of the unique needs of children and youth who need AAC.

Current research pertaining to AAC and adolescence will be presented and further illustrated by lived experience descriptions of young people who use AAC (Howery, 2017).  These include:

• the explorations of friendship and its critical role in adolescence,
• language with particular focus on the need to attend to the current “lingo” used by their peers and making it available on their AAC systems,
• the critical need for development of narrative so that the adolescence who use AAC can create and share their own stories of themselves
• the importance of supporting the development of autonomy and agency in adolescence who need AAC so that as they can be active agents as they transition to adult life

After the introduction of each of these topic’s, participants will be encouraged to interact with the presenter and each other to reflect on what they are currently doing to and what they feel they would like to try to do or do more of to support adolescents who need AAC particularly based on the information presented.

The goals of this interactive session are:

• To prompt critical thinking and dialogue about the issues pertaining to AAC and adolescents.
• To generate practical ideas for supporting young people who need AAC as they move through this important developmental life stage.

Selected References:

Cox, L., Ingles, M.  & Wylie, K.  (2024) Guys, like…yeah…this stuff might actually be pretty important. Teenage vocabulary in peer interactions. Implications for teen AAC users,  Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology, 26(1), 42-57.

Finke, E. H. & Therrien, M. (2025). Talking With Friends Is Just Different. Moving AAC Forward With Friendship in Mind.  Top Lang Disorders ,45 (3), pp. 183–198

Howery, K. (2018). Out of Time: The Experience of Speech Generating Device Users. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 40(1), pp.40–49

Howery, K. (2018). When My Voice is not My Voice: Speaking through a Speech Generating Device. Phenomenology and Practice. 12(1), pp.4-17.

Smith, M. M. (2015). Adolescence and AAC: Intervention Challenges and Possible Solutions. Communication Disorders Quarterly, 36(2) , pp. 112–118

Smith, M. M.  (2005). The Dual Challenges of Aided Communication and Adolescence, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 21:1, 67-79, DOI: 10.1080/10428190400006625

Turkstra, L. S. (2000). Should my shirt be tucked in or left out? The communication context of adolescence, Aphasiology, 14:4, 349-364, DOI: 10.1080/026870300401405

Van Manen, M. (2015). Pedagogical tact : knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do. Left Coast Press, Inc.

Whyte, J. (2001). Adolescent development. In A. Hosin (Ed.), Issues in applied developmental psychology and child psychiatry. London: Edwin Mellin Press.