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Career > Interviewing
Phone Interview Accommodations for Hearing and Speech Disabilities
You're qualified. You applied. They want to schedule a phone screen. You can't hear on a standard phone, or you use AAC and phone conversation isn't functional. The scheduler assumes everyone can do a phone interview. Here's how to request the alternative that works. What...
Financial > Financial Planning
Assistive Technology Grants: Where the Money Is and How Families Actually Get It
A power wheelchair costs $15,000 to $40,000. An AAC device runs $3,000 to $15,000. Ankle-foot orthotics can cost $1,200 per pair,...wheelchairs, walkers, and adaptive bikes; communication devices including AAC systems and tablets with specialized software; positioning equipment such...
Assistive Tech > Hardware
AAC Devices and Apps: How to Choose Speech-Generating Technology
You're comparing AAC apps priced at $300 with...that clinical outcomes for AAC don't correlate with price....This guide covers the 2026 AAC market, from apps to dedicated...what insurance covers. AAC Apps vs. Dedicated Devices:...fundamental choice is between AAC apps running on consumer...speech-generating devices (SGDs). AAC apps ($100-$300) run on...
Special Needs > Speech and Communication Impairments
Funding an AAC Device: Navigating Insurance, Medicaid, and Grants
...child's speech-language pathologist recommended an AAC device. You looked up the model. The price is somewhere...there were four doors. There are four pathways to AAC device funding: private insurance, Medicaid, school...Isn't the End. Private insurers deny first-time AAC requests at high rates, not because funding doesn't...
Research > Assistive Tech
Choosing AAC Devices Based on Research: What the Evidence Says About Effectiveness
...therapist says it's time to try AAC. You start researching devices...Shows. Systematic reviews of AAC outcomes consistently find...(speech-generating devices, tablets with AAC apps, eye-gaze systems)...Children using high-tech AAC initiate more conversations,...research isn't unclear because AAC doesn't work. It's unclear...Find. Three factors make AAC research especially difficult...
Therapies > Speech
What to Expect at Your Child's First Speech Therapy Appointment
...requires pre-authorization, confirm it was completed before the appointment If your child uses any communication tools (picture boards, sign language, an AAC device), mention it during scheduling so the SLP can plan accordingly. Phase 1: Intake and Case History. The first 15 to 20 minutes are yours, not your...
Special Needs > Cerebral Palsy
AAC for Children with Cerebral Palsy: Finding the Right Communication System
...therapist brought up AAC, you hesitated. She's...misunderstanding about what AAC does. Augmentative...with cerebral palsy, AAC can be the difference...Speech Still Need AAC. The gap here is...children who need AAC have AAC goals in...who need AAC have AAC goals in their IEPs....families often assume AAC isn't necessary....excitement or fatigue. AAC fills those gaps....
Research > Assistive Tech
The State of Assistive Technology Research in 2026: What's Real, What's Coming, and What Parents Should Watch
You're at an IEP meeting and the therapist mentions "exciting new AAC research." You ask what device she's recommending. She pivots to talking about studies. You ask again: can we get this for my son? She says the research...
News > Technology
The AAC Speech Delay Myth: What Parents Need to Know Before Starting Communication Devices
...therapist recommends an AAC device. You nod,...peer-reviewed studies on AAC use in children....consistent finding: AAC doesn't delay speech....Children who start AAC early don't stop...studies: Children using AAC showed equal or greater...speech therapy without AAC support Early AAC...AAC support Early AAC users developed larger...that introducing AAC caused children to...
Lifestyle > Recreation
Screen Time and Special Needs: Evidence-Based Guidance for Parents
...screens before age 2, one hour max after that. That guidance was written for typically developing kids. It doesn't account for a 4-year-old who uses an AAC device to ask for snacks, a 7-year-old with autism who regulates through YouTube playlists, or a 10-year-old with ADHD who finally focuses during Minecraft....
Financial > Grants
Grants for Assistive Technology: What's Available and How to Apply
Your child's speech therapist recommends an AAC device. The price is $8,000. Insurance says no. You're looking at thousands of dollars you don't have, for equipment your child needs now. This is when...
Assistive Tech > Mobility
Tariffs Are Raising the Cost of Wheelchairs, AAC Devices, and Medications — What Families Can Do
...directly to wheelchairs, walkers, adaptive equipment, AAC devices, and specialty medications. Most durable...equipment is manufactured in China and Southeast Asia. AAC hardware comes from abroad. Specialty medications...land on retail and insurance reimbursement rates. AAC devices: Speech-generating devices, communication...