Strength in Connections: Building A Collaborative AAC Community

Abstract

Effective Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) implementation relies on coordinated, well-trained communication partners across home, school, and clinical settings. However, caregivers frequently report significant gaps in cross setting collaboration, expressing a strong need for improved partnership between school-based and external speech language pathology providers (Kim & Soto, 2024). Families also describe disagreement among professionals regarding AAC recommendations as a major source of stress, often resulting in confusion, inconsistent system use, and reduced confidence in intervention planning (Buckeridge et al., 2024).

Across caregiver and communication partner perspectives, the presence of trained, prepared, and well-supported partners consistently emerged as a key facilitator of AAC success. (Hanley et al., 2024). Hanley and colleagues (2024) also noted that a larger network of trained partners—capable of modeling language, providing aided communication, and maintaining consistent expectations—was viewed as highly beneficial. In contrast, uncertainty regarding AAC system ownership, maintenance responsibilities, and expectations for daily use, along with limited preparation for device introduction or troubleshooting, were commonly cited as barriers.

A cohesive team dynamic grounded in shared understanding, consistent messaging, and collaborative problem solving is essential for successful AAC implementation. Light and colleagues (2025) highlight persistent “knowledge and skills barriers” among AAC users, caregivers, and communication partners as a broader societal barrier to full community participation. The literature identifies several effective strategies to address these challenges, including structured caregiver training programs, toolkit-based supports for communication partners, and strategic uses of technology to reduce cognitive and logistical demands on families and teams (Light et al., 2025).

A group of hospital-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) specializing in AAC identified a critical need for stronger collaboration with community SLPs to support successful AAC adoption and consistent use across settings. As part of the hospital team’s standard AAC evaluation and trial process, clinicians routinely attempt to engage community partners early by sharing trial data and jointly determining the most appropriate device for a child’s communication needs. However, establishing these connections is often hindered by significant barriers, including limited caregiver knowledge of school contacts, difficulty obtaining accurate information about the child’s educational team, and delays associated with securing releases of information. These challenges increase the time required for hospital SLPs to coordinate care and limit opportunities for shared clinical decision-making.

School-based clinicians similarly identified barriers to AAC success, listing difficulty connecting with both caregivers as well as community-based SLP partners working with shared students. Lack of time to connect with mentors and other skilled professionals was also noted as a barrier.

To address these barriers and enhance cross‑setting collaboration, the team developed and hosted a hospital‑sponsored continuing education event designed to bring community SLPs together in a structured, supportive setting. Event planning included direct outreach to local school districts and private practices to obtain contact information for SLPs involved in AAC service delivery. During registration, participants completed a survey identifying barriers related to AAC device trials, interdisciplinary collaboration, caregiver engagement, and access to mentorship. Survey responses outlined the agenda for an 8‑hour, single‑day workshop.

The resulting event, IMPAACT Connect (Inspiring, Motivating, & Preparing AAC Teams), provided attendees with opportunities to build professional connections through both structured and informal activities. Participants were assigned to rotating small groups to promote broad knowledge sharing across four interactive sessions: Building Connections, AAC Processes, Caregiver Training, and Transition of Care. Each session was moderated by hospital staff who facilitated discussion and encouraged active participant engagement. This collaborative model supported shared problem-solving and strengthened relationships between hospital and community SLPs, laying out the foundation for improved coordination of AAC services across environments.

This presentation will specifically describe the detailed planning, implementation, and deliverable outcomes from IMPAACT Connect and will synthesize these noted themes and emphasize actionable, family-centered approaches to strengthening collaborative AAC teams. Recommendations will include scalable training models, improved cross-setting communication pathways, and supports that promote shared ownership, confidence, and competence among all communication partners. By addressing these system- level barriers and enhancing collaborative practices, clinicians and educators can help ensure AAC users experience consistent, supported opportunities to communicate meaningfully across environments.

Regardless of setting, SLPs face challenges in advancing AAC clinical skills, including time constraints, limited resources, restricted access to mentorship, inadequate training, and insufficient program support. This presentation will highlight the importance of building a collaborative AAC community—one that strengthens communication channels across settings to build sustainable working relationships to support both clinicians and the partners involved in each child’s AAC journey.

 Citations available upon request.