From Access to Authorship: Guiding Principles for AI in AAC

Presenter(s)

Event Details

Topic:

augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)

Format:

lecture

Subject Level:

intermediate

Age Span:

infant / toddler
preschool
kindergarten - grade 6
grades 7-12
N/A

Target Audience:

AT specialist
autism specialist
consultant
educator
family member / caregiver
K-12 administration
occupational therapist
paraprofessional
special educator
speech language pathologist
university professor / personnel

Professional Development Credits

IACET CEUs:

0.01

ACVREP CEs:

1

Presentation Length: 1 hour

Location:

Plaza 5

Description:

As AI becomes integrated into AAC, clinicians must ensure that increased efficiency does not come at the cost of authorship and agency. This session introduces a set of guiding principles for implementing AI in AAC to support user-directed communication, preserve identity, and maintain authentic voice. Participants will learn practical, tool-agnostic strategies to apply these principles across systems, settings, and communication profiles.

Learning Outcomes:

As a result of this activity, participants will be able to:

• 1. Apply at least three guiding principles to design AAC intervention activities that incorporate AI while maintaining user directed communication, authorship, and authentic voice.

• 2. Analyze sample AAC outputs and differentiate between AI supported authorship and facilitator influenced communication by identifying at least two indicators of preserved or compromised user agency and identity.

• 3. Create at least two individualized, student specific AI prompts that support language expansion while preserving the communicator’s voice, intent, and identity across communication contexts.

Disclosures:

No financial disclosure; I am the Speech-Language Pathologist for two individuals whose families have developed AI communication applications that will be discussed.
Financial relationship: Brenda does not receive a financial commission from any company that manufactures, distributes or sells AAC related products. She receives fees for evaluating, training, speaking and consulting.

Non-financial relationship: Cofounder and President of a Nonprofit, Believe Beyond Ability.