189. AAC for Social Communication: Research, Reality, and Monday Morning Solutions

If you work with minimally speaking children using low-tech or high-tech AAC, this episode is for you.A brand-new systematic review just dropped — but the published research is sparse, messy, and often mislabeled. Today, we’ll dig through the “recycle bin” of studies to uncover what actually works, why commenting is more powerful than requesting, and how to take action on Monday morning.You’ll learn:Why many so-called “commenting interventions” are really prompted responses, not true initiationsThe pivotal role of combining words in AAC for speech development and generative languageWhy modeling and scaffolding work — and what research says about prompting hierarchiesHow to apply the triangle of evidence-based practice when published protocols don’t existDownload my free 30 Minute M.O.D.E.L. workshop to share with colleagues and caregivers: https://www.kellyvess.com/aac💡 Ready-to-Go Tools: Don’t waste hours planning therapy. Get empirically-based, literacy-rich, movement-based activities delivered to you every week inside the SIS Membership. You’ll get:Weekly theme-based Google Slides decks for individual, group, and teletherapy sessionsEngaging multisensory activities that target speech, language, and literacy — all ready to useJoin now at https://www.kellyvess.com/sis and transform your therapy sessions with tools backed by research and designed for real-world success.Spencer, T. D., Tönsing, K., & Dada, S. (2025). Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions that promote commenting: A systematic review. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 1–14.