Speech-language pathologists or SLPs evaluate and treat speech, language, and cognitive-communication disorders in individuals of all ages, from infants to the elderly. Speech-language pathologists often work as part of a therapy team, which may include caregivers, teachers, physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists and others.
For some individuals, speech therapy alone cannot provide the tools and support required to truly communicate. In these instances the SLP plays an important role in the process of determining the potential effectiveness of an AAC device as part of an individual’s communication strategy. AAC devices are generally recommended by a speech-language pathologist following an evaluation of abilities, needs and communication goals. The evaluation will also assess and compare different devices to determine the system that will achieve the highest level of communication success.