Issue 19 | April 2025
Special Education Technology
Center
Inclusive Insights & Access Tips
AAC: A Tier 1 Tool for All
Students
Every student communicates differently—some with spoken words, others through gestures, pictures, or technology. A Multi Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) ensures all students have access to the tools they need to succeed.
By making language visible and accessible, AAC empowers students, reduces frustration, and creates classrooms where everyone has a voice
At its core, Tier 1 (Universal Support) includes strategies that benefit all students, such as visual schedules, classroom communication boards, and interactive modeling. Tier 2 (Targeted Support) provides additional tools like sentence starters, partner-assisted scanning, and small-group language instruction for those needing extra help. Tier 3 (Intensive Support) offers personalized interventions, including dedicated communication devices and direct speech therapy. Though often linked to students with complex communication needs, AAC is a powerful Tier 1 tool that benefits all learners. Embedding strategies—such as visuals, symbols, and communication boards —enhances language processing, engagement, and comprehension. For educators, AAC reduces the need to repeat instructions, and fosters inclusive communication. By making language visible and accessible, AAC empowers students, reduces frustration, and creates classrooms where everyone has a voice. Communication should never be a barrier—it should be a bridge to learning for all.
In this issue
- AAC: A Tier 1 Tool for All Students
- Mark your calendar
- Core Vocabulary Goes Outdoors!
- AI in Education: Valuable Tool or Unfair
Advantage? - Say It and Show It!
- Book nook
Mark your calendar
Community of Practice Series
- 4/2: Communication for Students with
Complex Needs: The Key to Success - 4/3: AAC Collaboration Corner: AAC and
Multilingualism - 4/8: Blending Perspectives on Vision,
Speech & Motor - 4/8: UDL Leadership: Professional
Learning and Coaching
Webinars
- 4/23: AT Chatter: Myth-Busting:
Assistive Technology Devices and
Services
Awe and Wonder Podcast Series 6
Brand new season available now!
More Leaders & Change Makers
Classes
- 4/25: Alternative Access to AAC:
Strategies and Solutions
– Presenter: Brenda Del Monte, MA,
CCC-SLP, AAC Specialist
– Zoom, 9:00-12:00
– Cost: $55
Book nook
Axolotls are the current sweethearts of the amphibian world. This adorable book, No One Really Knows an Axolotl, finds the most charming words and phrases to rhyme with this unusual creature’s name. Clicker Grid sets created for this book are available on the SET-BC Resources website.
Core Vocabulary Goes Outdoors!
Many schools cross Washington State are embracing a powerful idea: placing large core vocabulary boards on their playgrounds. These boards support communication access
for students and also benefit children in the broader community who visit the playground —making inclusive communication a part of everyday play!
Predictive Text in AAC: Who Controls the Conversation?
Predictive text can enhance AAC efficiency, but does it shape or limit self-expression? While AI driven word prediction helps users communicate faster, it also raises concerns about authenticity, autonomy, and linguistic diversity. Are AAC users truly expressing their own thoughts, or is technology influencing their language? As we integrate AAC into classrooms, how can we ensure that technology supports, rather than limits, a communicator’s voice?
Say It and Show It!
