Written by Paralympian and award-winning disability advocate Beth Moulam, this book is the all-encompassing guide to everything AAC. From the road to getting an AAC device to thriving independently with AAC, Beth shows you how to advocate for yourself and how communication partners can learn to navigate the world of AAC alongside you.
Reviews
This is a very practical guide to AAC that can be in used in many scenarios and with many people. The book portrays the 'gold standard' of AAC use. Empowerment certainly comes through strong and hard. The checklists and thoughts around independent living will be valuable to families/professionals supporting young people with more complex communication needs who will transition to different types of adult living.
This much-needed, accessible guide brings lived experience and practical wisdom to the core of AAC. Beth Moulam offers inspiration and hard-won insight on every page, making this a valuable resource for AAC users, families, and professionals alike.
Moulam's guide to living audAACiously does something I almost never see: she writes to the reader who uses AAC, not only to those supporting us. Moulam also describes options that exist in reality but are rarely noted in published work. A resource well worth the read!
Thoughtful, inclusive and holistic. This book considers AAC across the day and the lifespan. The importance of valuing all communication and of having skilled communication partners shines through. This will be a valuable resource for AAC users and all of their supporters.
Beth Moulam expertly weaves her lived experience as a multi-modal communicator and retired Paralympian into a practical guide, empowering others to have agency as they navigate life as communication aid users. A must-read primer for anyone seeking to be a true ally for individuals who do not use speech as their primary means of communication.
Beth Moulam's How to live audAACiously is an adventure into Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), covering early learning, growing up and becoming independent as a person who uses AAC. Beth invites the reader into her life, and cites many others who use AAC, to explore the reality of a world that expects a human voice. Dreams can become a reality, if the opportunities are given to you or created. The frustrations are real. Conflicts are real. Safety comes first. The road to independent living is not easy, as Beth has discovered. Training Communication partners/support workers takes time but the investment pays off when confronted with an emergency situation. This book is an important read in understanding the strength of the individual needed to make dreams of a person who use AAC come true.
How to live audAACiously is absolutely packed with tips about how to navigate life as an AAC user. Whether you are an AAC user, a family member, a social worker or student, this book is indispensable!