Reasons – Why Communicate?

4 Important Reasons to Communicate

Requesting

• Telling others what we want
• Making choices
• Telling others when we need help
• Controlling our environment.

Rejecting or Protesting

• Escaping from a situation or a demand.
• Saying “No”
• Avoiding something we don’t want or like.

Social Connection

• Meeting emotional needs
• Gaining attention
• Greeting people.
• Telling jokes.
• Sharing feelings.
• Starting a conversation
• Forming friendships and closeness with others
• Building relationships and making them stronger.

Sharing Information & Opinions

• Early forms are naming and labeling
• Answering questions
• Telling about what happened
• Sharing information that others need
• Giving directions to others
• Commenting
• Noticing

What if someone can’t communicate or be understood?

• Might resort to throwing something, crying, screaming, or even lashing out physically
• Not being able to reject or protest is scary. You don’t have control over what happens to you.
• May be able to tell some of their likes & dislikes by their behavior (Such as turning away, a look of disgust, smiling, reaching)
• Consider AAC to help the person communicate

Why is only requesting usually the focus with AAC?

• Requesting helps the person to get what they want immediately and that feels good.
• Usually, the first reason to communicate using AAC, but not the only reason
• Sharing information, telling stories, making comments, and telling us what they think makes real connections possible