OpenAAC

Welcome to The OpenAAC Initiative

Everyone deserves to be able to communicate, but for some people it can take a little extra work. OpenAAC is an initiative to get high-quality AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) into the hands of as many people as can use it. We believe that AAC users should have freedom to control their own destinies, that life opens and expands with effective communication. That best happens when the people around AAC users understand their communication strategies and how to support their growth. It's important for everyone -- family members, therapists, app makers and others -- to respect the autonomy of AAC users and focus on helping them succeed.

As part of this effort, we work to create free, open standards for the AAC community, and free, open-licensed materials and tools to help raise the standard for everyone. By sharing free and open resources, we hope to get AAC into the hands of more people, and remove the financial barriers that stand in the way of communication for too many.

AAC Awareness

Many folks know little to nothing about AAC, or haven't met an AAC user in person. Too often knowledge is siloed away from places where it can have an impact. At OpenAAC we are raising community awareness and understanding of AAC so that when someone does run into an AAC user it can be a positive experience for everyone involved. We also regularly release community-focused materials to help everyone get on the same page.

The results are in for your favorite apps, people and resources in the world of AAC! Short for "Keepers and Noteworthies in AAC", the knAAC Awards are a chance to celebrate all the folks who just have a knack for making things better.

It's hard to know where you're going, if you don't know where you've been. We worked with AAC users, therapists, families and experts around the world to collect insights into what happened in the world of AAC in 2023. We cover everything from what's new in AAC to what pop culture references happened to where people are sending folks for new training opportunities. Check out the report for yourself, and share it with others!

Support Resources

AAC implementations work best when both the AAC user and the team around the communicator are engaged, empowered and informed. We create and share free, open-licensed materials that can help train and support people at every phase of their AAC journey.

One of the most effective tools we've created is the Communication Partner Profile, a self-reflection form any supporter of AAC can fill out to get an idea of how they're doing and where they can improve in supporting AAC users. Check it out for yourself, and feel free to share it with anyone who you think could benefit!

Standards and Certifications

Openness Manifesto

We are parents, therapists, vendors and developers who believe that users should be in control and be able to mix and match their AAC resources to create the experience that works best for them. There are different aspects of the AAC experience that can be improved to make that happen, as listed below. We need your help! Below are the initiatives we are advocating for, including ways that you can help us move forward!

Additional Resources

There are so many great projects around the world that are benefitting from open protocols and standards. Below we have gathered collections of open resources and tools that apply to the AAC community. If you notice we're missing something, please let us know right away!

• Open AAC Systems
• Open Symbol Libraries
• Open Learning Resources
• AAC Photo Library
• Developer Tools