How Therapy Tools are making AAC implementation easier, engaging, and effective
Sharing fun moments with someone as you help develop their communication skills is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. Creating those shared moments of joy sometimes comes without thinking needed – other times we need to get creative to think about how we make activities fun and enjoyable whilst still supporting progress. The challenge is time. Creating high‑quality resources from scratch is not always that easy when you’re doing it alongside busy caseloads, classrooms, and daily demands.
PRC‑Saltillo’s implementation resources have been developed by clinicians who understand these pressures. They are designed to make AAC implementation practical, enjoyable, and achievable for professionals working with a wide range of learners. And they are now available in our online store – making them available to you!
“When you’re a busy therapist, it can help to have things readily available to support you,” says Jenny Lawrence, Clinical AAC Consultant, Liberator Ltd. “Tools like these that encourage meaningful interaction, while being easy to adapt across clients, settings, and goals can really help build confidence over time.”
Our team here at Liberator includes people who have previously worked in Speech and Language Therapy and Education. They know when you’re getting started with AAC it can feel daunting. It can be hard to know where to begin, how to model language confidently, or what materials will genuinely support learning rather than distract from it. Ready‑made implementation tools can help reduce that initial uncertainty and allow teams to focus on what matters most – providing fun, engaging, and educational activities.
The implementation resources available are designed to be:
- Ready to use, so you can get started straight away
- Reusable, supporting repeated learning and exploration
- Interactive, encouraging active participation
- Aligned with established AAC vocabularies
- Grounded in research‑based practice
Together, these features support language development while fitting into real‑world therapy, home, and educational settings.
Smash Mats
Smash mats bring sensory, physical interaction into AAC sessions in a simple and flexible way. They can be used as a standalone activity or combined with other games and routines. The level of challenge can be easily adapted to suit different learners and goals.
For some learners, the focus may be on finding and selecting a single word. For others, the activity can support turn‑taking, commenting, or asking questions before completing the action. Materials you already have, such as play dough, counters, or pens, can be used to make the activity more engaging and personalised.
Laminated smash mats are available in themed sets, making them suitable for repeated use across different sessions and contexts.
Conversation Cards
Conversation cards support back‑and‑forth communication by encouraging open‑ended questions and shared interaction. They create natural opportunities to model asking questions, commenting, and sharing personal thoughts using AAC.
These cards can be used flexibly across age groups and settings, from structured sessions to more informal conversations. They help move beyond single turns and support longer, more meaningful exchanges. The cars can be used with communicators using AAC or speech – a great resource to use in class settings or groups where people are communicating in different ways – or to include peers and friends in conversation groups.
Conversation card sets are available across a range of themes, including:
- Movies and television
- Past, present, and future
- Emotions
- Would you rather questions
- Friends and relationships
Lite‑tech flipbooks
Lite‑tech flipbooks provide a practical way to model robust AAC or act as a backup when high‑tech devices are not available. Unity 84 and WordPower 60 layouts are available, offering access to hundreds of words in a portable, paper-based format.
These flipbooks can be used for modelling, shared within classrooms, or kept close by as a reliable communication support. They offer a way to increase access to rich language without relying solely on electronic devices.
Check out PRC-Saltillo’s therapy tools in our online store. If you’d rather take a look first, have a sneaky peek at your Regional AAC Consultant’s set next time you’re working with them (be warned though, you’ll not want to give them back!).
Here’s to spending more time communicating and less time planning 😊
FAQs about AAC therapy tools
What are AAC therapy tools?
AAC therapy tools are ready-made resources that help communication partners model language, support interactions, and practice communication skills using AAC (or a lite-tech back-up).
How do AAC tools support AAC implementation in schools?
They reduce planning time and make it easier for staff teams to use the same language targets across lessons, routines, and therapy—supporting consistency for the learner.
I’m new to AAC implementation – where should I start?
Start by choosing a small set of core words you can model often (e.g., more, go, stop, help, like). Use a simple activity (like a Smash Mat) and model the words repeatedly while keeping the interaction fun and pressure-free.
When should I use a lite-tech flipbook?
Use it when a device isn’t available, if you need quick access to the same vocabulary for modelling, or when you want a robust back-up that can travel easily between home and school.
Can Conversation Cards work for learners who aren’t using full sentences yet?
Absolutely! Simply adapt to reflect each communicator’s needs and abilities: model a single core word response or co-construct a short phrase while keeping the focus on shared interaction. Use photographs or recall memories to explore the topic and model simple sentences / single words as you do so.
How often should I use these AAC tools?
Often and little is usually better than rarely and perfectly. Repeated, predictable routines help learners and teams build confidence, so aim for frequent short opportunities across the week.