Free AAC Social Visual Guides for Autism

Free AAC Social Stories and Social Visual Guides to Support Communication Understanding

If you are looking for a free AAC social story, you will find a variety of 3 free AAC Social Visual Guides.

Understanding Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can feel unfamiliar for many children, siblings, classmates and even adults. Questions such as Why does my friend use an iPad to talk?, Can I play with someone who uses AAC? or Why does my brother communicate differently? are completely natural.

One of the simplest ways to answer these questions is through clear, accessible visual information.

To support families, schools and professionals, I have created a collection of free AAC Social Visual Guides designed to help children understand that there are many different ways to communicate and that every form of communication deserves respect.

If you are new to AAC, I also recommend reading my comprehensive guide to What is AAC?, where I explain what AAC is, who uses it and why communication is a fundamental human right. You can also access my free AAC Symbols Guide where you can access free AAC symbols and low cost options to get started with visual symbology.

What is AAC?

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) includes every way a person communicates other than, or alongside, spoken language.

AAC may include:

• Speech generating devices

• Communication apps

• Communication books

• Picture symbols

• Communication boards

• Eye gaze

• Key Word Sign

• Gestures

• Facial expressions

AAC is used by many people, including non-speaking Autistic people, minimally speaking individuals, people with unreliable speech and those with motor speech differences.

Importantly, AAC does not prevent speech development. Research consistently shows that AAC supports language development, participation, autonomy and communication.

Why Children Need to Learn About AAC

Children are naturally curious. When they meet someone who communicates differently, they often have questions.

Without accurate information, children may make assumptions or avoid interacting because they simply do not understand.

Providing accessible information helps children recognise that:

• everyone communicates differently

• AAC is another way of communicating

• communication devices are someone's voice

• friendships are built through communication, not speech alone

• everyone deserves opportunities to participate and belong

Download Your Free AAC Social Visual Guides

This free collection includes three printable Social Visual Guides that introduce AAC in an accessible, respectful and neuroaffirmative way.

1. I Communicate Differently: AAC Social Visual Guide

Designed for AAC users themselves, this guide celebrates different ways of communicating and reinforces that an AAC device is a person's voice.

Topics include:

• different ways of communicating

• communicating at home and school

• using an AAC device

• communication choices

• respecting communication differences

2. My Friend Communicates Differently

This guide helps classmates understand how an AAC user communicates.

Children learn:

• everyone communicates differently

• how AAC works

• how they can communicate with an AAC user

• that communication devices deserve respect

• how friendships can develop through communication

This resource is ideal for mainstream and special schools preparing classmates for a new student who uses AAC.

3. My Brother Communicates Differently

Siblings often have lots of questions about AAC.

This guide supports brothers in understanding:

• why AAC is used

• different communication styles

• learning about AAC together

• communicating with a sibling who uses AAC

• respecting communication differences

Although written for brothers, many families find the information useful when introducing AAC to siblings generally.

When Might These AAC Social Visual Guides Be Helpful?

These resources may be particularly useful when:

• preparing classmates before an AAC user joins the class

• introducing AAC during circle time

• supporting siblings to understand AAC

• explaining communication differences to extended family

• preparing early years settings

• supporting inclusive classrooms

• helping an AAC user explain how they communicate

• promoting Autism acceptance and communication inclusion

• supporting speech and language therapy programmes

• introducing AAC within schools

Who Are The FREE AAC Social Visual Resources For?

These free AAC Social Visual Guides have been created for:

• Autistic children

• non-speaking children

• minimally speaking children

• AAC users

• siblings

• classmates

• parents

• teachers

• SNAs

• speech and language therapists

• occupational therapists

• psychologists

• early years educators

• schools

Continue Exploring AAC Resources

If you found these free AAC Social Visual Guides helpful, you may also like these free resources available on Little Puddins:

• What is AAC?(Start here if you are new to AAC.)

• Free AAC Apps

• AAC Communication Passports

• AAC Communication Boards

• AAC Symbol Libraries

• Gestalt Language Processing

• Free Autism Visual Supports

• Social Visual Guides Library

Together these resources form part of the Little Puddins AAC Knowledge Centre, supporting families, educators and professionals to create accessible communication environments.

Download Your Free AAC Social Visual Guides

Whether you searched for a free AAC social story, an AAC classroom resource or information to help children understand communication differences, I hope these Social Visual Guides support meaningful conversations about communication, inclusion and belonging.

Communication is not defined by speech.

Everyone communicates.

Everyone deserves to be understood.

References

Hynan, A., Goldbart, J., and Murray, J. (2015). A grounded theory of internet and social media use by young people who use augmentative and alternative communication. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 10(4), 259–270.

Smith, E. J., and Arthur, D. T. (2024). Representation of aided AAC in contemporary young adult fiction. Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

Wickenden, M. (2011). Whose voice is that? Issues of identity, voice, and representation arising in an ethnographic study of the lives of disabled teenagers who use augmentative and alternative communication. Disability Studies Quarterly, 31(4).