Speech-Language Institute Students Find Their Voice Through AAC Awareness Day

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies are assets to treatment options and help promote more productive sessions for the clients at the Speech-Language Institute (SLI) of Drexel University.

And the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) students in the Drexel program who train at SLI want to make sure their clients are well aware of what AAC devices are available and how they can help with communication.

So Master of Science students in the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) department marked Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month, celebrated every October, the best way they could - by having their own AAC Awareness Day on Drexel University’s Elkins Park Campus.

As part of their Capstone project, students Maddy McGuire, Masha Kuts, Teresa Fernandes, Jordan Dermond and Olivia Brown - all Class of 2027 - set up a station in the small cafe earlier this month, for two hours so other students, faculty and staff could learn how AAC helps people with complex communication needs express themselves, communicate with others and participate in daily life using various low-tech and high-tech devices to communicate.

Examples of AAC devices include low-tech things like gestures, sign language and a communication board, to mid-tech and high-tech aspects such as big talk communicators and tablets with AAC apps.

“One of the things we’re trying to get the students to learn is how to educate others. A big part of our role in SLP is informing others about what we do,” said Jennifer Bergstrom, EdD, CCC-SLP, SLP, clinical edcuator at SLI. “October is AAC Awareness Month and having students talk to a wide variety of healthcare professions about how they can support communication with their own patients is really important.”

Dr. Bergstrom added that a Capstone project is designed to be a culmination of what the master’s students have learned to that point. Students choose a specific area they are interested in, research the project and then present it.

“The fact that the students are coming up with something so creative in a way that reaches a wide audience is important,” said Dr. Bergstrom.

SLI recently was the recipient of the Eagles Autism Grant, the second time the clinical facility has received the grant. For the 2025 grant, the clinical site was given $23,000 for two different missions – the first to support a community partner, the Education Institute for Early Intervention (EIEI) in North Philadelphia, providing parent and teacher education, books to support programming and sensory supplies. The second part of the grant helps support “The Cool Crew,” a support group for clients, with games and supplies for continued creative programming.

For McGuire, a Philadelphia native, the hands-on experience she gained using different AAC devices was particularly valuable.

“Before I was enrolled in this program, I never really was exposed to all the different AAC devices. I feel like after doing this project, it really helped expose both me and our cohort to being more aware of what AAC is,” she said. “A project like this really helps us because it gives us experience in grad school that we’ll be able to take with us in our career. These devices are super-important and they can be used everywhere for everyday life.”

Kuts, who hails from Bucks County, learned that a common misconception is children won’t speak if they use AAC devices. “But really AAC promotes communication and that child is more likely to communicate if they have an AAC,” said Kuts.

In addition to those who stopped by to look and learn about AAC devices, the event also attracted the attention of representatives from Tobii Dynavox Global, a market leader in AAC and assistant technology based in Sweden, with U.S. offices in Pittsburgh.

“We have seen students from all different disciplines getting really excited about the different types of AAC devices,” said company representative Dana Ulakovic. “Getting with the students is extremely important for us. It’s a learning aspect, it’s awareness, it’s building relationships. From the sales side, it’s really important.”

To learn more about AAC devices and how they can help, schedule an appointment at SLI by calling 215.780.3150.