What is it?
AAC mounting, positioning, and portability supports help ensure that a communication system is accessible and available wherever communication happens. Solutions may include wheelchair or desk mounts, floor stands, device cases, straps, carrying systems, adjustable arms, or other positioning equipment. Effective positioning considers physical access, vision, comfort, safety, and the person's preferred access method while also making it practical to move the system between activities and environments.
How to use it?
Position AAC so the individual can see and access it comfortably without unnecessary reaching, fatigue, or changes in posture. Consider how positioning needs may differ when the learner is sitting at a desk, using a wheelchair, standing, lying down, moving around the classroom, or participating outside. Develop a plan for moving the system with the person rather than leaving it in one location. Collaborate with the AAC user and relevant team members, particularly OTs, PTs, SLPs, and AT specialists, when specialized mounting or positioning is needed.
Why use it?
Communication cannot be spontaneous or independent if AAC is out of reach, poorly positioned, or left behind when the person moves. Appropriate mounting and positioning can improve access, reduce physical effort and fatigue, and support more efficient communication. Planning for portability also reinforces an essential principle of AAC: a person's communication system should travel with them and be available across people, places, activities, and times of day.
