Same Chance to Communicate Supporting Autistic voices through AAC: An independent evaluation of the AsIAm AAC programme

Abstract

Introduction  

AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity, strives to provide Autistic children with the same chance to communicate using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

The AAC Programme aims to empower families on their AAC journey and to increase access to high-tech AAC devices across the Republic of Ireland. As part of AsIAm’s commitment to include our community voice, an independent evaluation was conducted. This evaluation identifies areas that will allow the programme to continue to support our community and address long lasting communication needs.

Objectives  

This evaluation sought to determine the programme’s performance in the following areas:

1. Programme impact on access to AAC
2. Strengths and areas of improvement
3. How the programme empowers families
4. Community development
5. Contribute to the field with the potential to inform policy, service delivery and academic understanding.

Methodology  

The methodology was guided by a commitment to accessibility and neuroaffirmative practice. An Advisory Group was established to ensure that the research remained grounded in the lived experience of AAC.

A mixed-methodology approach was used:

• Anonymous parent survey (49 parents)
• Interviews/focus groups with parents, SLTs, teachers (21 participants).
• Two interviews with children (using aTotal Communication approach) included as case studies.

Findings were organised using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework.

Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was granted by the DCU Research Ethics Committee. Informed consent was obtained from participants.

Results  

Reach: The programme was effective in addressing gaps in AAC access for Autistic children in Ireland. 48% of children had no access to Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) before entering the programme, and only 8% had access to public SLT. Parents self-referred and primarily found the programme through word of mouth. Barriers to access included geography, diagnosis, age and cultural responsiveness.

Effectiveness: Increased participation, agency, communication and connection in everyday life, with associated gains in confidence and autonomy. 81% parents surveyed agreed that AAC was needed, with 67% reporting that AAC made communication easier.

Adoption: Adoption was most consistent at home, where families adapted routines and expectations over time. School engagement was a key factor shaping the consistency, integration, and longer-term embedding of AAC; however, school use depended on staff capacity, training and attitudes.

Implementation: Strengthened by tailored Autism-informed AAC expertise, alongside technical and peer support. Collaborative input across settings was significant in sustaining AAC. Ongoing availability and adaptability were highly valued by parents.

Maintenance: Ongoing parental support is essential for preventing abandonment, as is incorporating AAC in everyday contexts and maintaining use through continued capacity building, peer support, and accessible guidance. Staffing, long-term funding and policy support were identified as essential components for continued support.

Discussion  

Objective 1. Participants described the programme as providing a path to AAC when other services were unavailable.  While access remains uneven, the programme is responding to gaps in the wider support system for Autistic children in Ireland.

Objective 2. The parent-led model was identified as empowering and accessible. Specialist, Autism-informed advice and guidance was a strength of the programme. Self-referral makes the programme accessible; however, it also places a degree of responsibility on families to identify supports which may exclude families in harder-to-reach communities.

Objective 3.  The programme empowers families to better understand Autistic communication and AAC. This also empowers children to use their device in ways that enable participation and communication.

Objective 4. Access to AAC was found to increase family participation in their day-to-day routines. Collaboration with other AsIAm support services is a strength, creating a community that increases adoption.

Objective 5. The study offers policy-relevant insights into how non-statutory programmes can address systemic gaps in AAC provision. These have implications for design, funding, and delivery of AAC services within Ireland and internationally. This report also advised AsIAm to form focused outreach partnerships with marginalised communities and develop multilingual programme resources. Other recommendations included building stronger relationships with schools and extending the programme to Autistic adults.

Conclusion

This evaluation found that The AAC Programme provides AAC access that responds to long-standing barriers in realising Autistic children’s communication rights in Ireland.

The findings reinforce the central role of families as active partners in supporting communication, with confidence and capacity developing over time through ongoing, responsive support. Successful and sustained use of AAC requires a range of supports within the child’s circle of support including school and community settings.

In this way, the findings extend current understanding by showing how family centred AAC programmes function in real-world contexts, and by identifying the conditions that support (or constrain) their long-term impact.