10/13/2026
AAC Awareness 2026
The child in this picture has been attending our St. Louis University’s Paul C. Reinert, S.J., Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic for about 7 years and a multi-modal communication method helped build his verbal language skills. In this case, high tech AAC was a means to an end but served as a temporary way for him to socially participate and learn the meaning of communication. We are so proud of this individual and have enjoyed watching him grow as a communicator.
"As an SLP and assistant clinical professor, one of the most meaningful parts of my work is watching future clinicians discover the positive treatment outcomes that AAC can make in the lives of those we work with. AAC is not about 'getting someone to talk.' It is about giving someone a way to express their thoughts, share their personality, make choices, build relationships, advocate for themselves, and participate in the world around them.
And sometimes, the most important shift we can make as clinicians is not changing the person… it’s changing our expectations, presume competence, provide access, honor all forms of communication, model without demanding, give people time. Listen to what they are telling us even when they aren't using spoken words. Never assume that a person has nothing to say simply because they cannot say it in the way we expect." - Chris Loveless, Assistant Clinical Professor, Saint Louis University
