Autism Parenting and AAC: Building Communication Through Collaboration with Rose Griffin of ABA Speech

Communication is not an accessory skill in autism support, it is foundational. In this conversation, Autism Mom Sarah Kernion speaks with Rose Griffin, speech language pathologist and BCBA, about the intersection of speech therapy, ABA, and AAC in supporting students with autism and complex needs. Rose’s work lives at the overlap of two fields that are often siloed: speech therapy and applied behavior analysis. Rather than competing frameworks, she presents them as collaborative tools that, when aligned, can accelerate communication growth for autistic students. The discussion highlights joint attention, engagement, device trust-building, and the slow—but meaningful—progress that defines real communication development. They address a tension many autism parents recognize: practitioners frequently receive limited training in AAC, leaving families to navigate gaps in implementation. Rose shares her mission through the ABA Speech Connection to empower both practitioners and parents with practical tools and shared learning. This conversation centers one core truth: communication changes outcomes. When professionals collaborate and families are equipped, students with autism gain access—not just to language—but to agency. Rose Griffin, MA, CCC-SLP, BCBA, is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst with a passion for helping SLPs, BCBAs, and RBTs work together to support all autistic learners. She is the founder of ABA SPEECH, an organization dedicated to professional development that unites your team—and transforms communication through customized consultations, engaging trainings, and the ABA SPEECH Connection CEU Membership. Rosemarie is also the host of the popular ABA SPEECH Podcast, where she shares practical strategies. A highly sought-after speaker, she enjoys connecting with professionals at the local, state, and national levels. Her book "Say It With Me" is scheduled to come out in July of 2026. She can't wait to share easy to use strategies to encourage communication with professionals and parents alike! At the heart of Rosemarie’s work is the mission of ABA SPEECH: Keeping therapy fun and functional and collaborating along the way. All of Rose's work and her ABA Speech Connection Membership can be found here: www.abaspeech.org Chapters (00:00:01) - ABA Speech Guest(00:00:56) - BCBA and Speech Therapist: The Intersect(00:05:28) - Speech Therapy for the Rest of us(00:12:48) - Autistic Students Need Two iPads(00:14:46) - Communication targets for profoundly autistic students(00:19:25) - ABA Speech Connection: Growing Membership(00:23:28) - ABA Speech Connection