Your Communication Matters

03/10/2026

What a great start to AAC Awareness Month!

🎉 Empowering teachers, therapists, psychologists, medical professionals and parents to support AAC.

🎉 Exploring how to
🧡 Set AAC goals
🧡 Apply AAC intervention strategies
🧡 Implement fun & engaging AAC intervention sessions
🧡 Recognize special considerations in AAC

🎉 Emphasizing the need to help our learners become autonomous communicators -
who are able to say whatever they want to say,
to whoever they want to say it to,
whenever they want to say it.
(Porter & Burkhart, 2012)

01/10/2026

Hello October, Hello AAC Awareness Month! 👋🏻

Did you know? International AAC Month started in October 2007. So, we’ve been celebrating this special month for many years 🗓️

So I think it’s about time to ask ourselves - How are we doing as a community?

I’ll go first -
Just in the past month, I was heartened to see more and more AAC out in the community where I live (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) 🇲🇾

Not too long ago, the responsibility was fully on the AAC user and their family to bring their AAC on the go.
However now with increased AAC awareness we are seeing AAC supports available in the community for everyone, including
❤️ those who are familiar with using symbols to support their communication
❤️ those who are yet to have their own AAC system
❤️ young children who are pre-verbal

Here’s what I saw 👀
1: Communication board in the calm room at 1 Utama Shopping Centre
2: Communication boards and visuals in a church setting
3: Communication board and visual schedule in a Dental Visual Support Kit created by Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya

Communication doesn’t just happen in therapy sessions. It should be supported across various settings.

⭐️ AAC gives users a voice in every situation, allowing them to participate, make choices, and connect with others. ⭐️

If you have photos of AAC in the community, please share in the comments! Let me know where you are based, what AAC it is and how it is used. 🥰

*echPathology

10/09/2026

Looking forward to sharing about AAC Intervention in October!

🌟 AAC INTERVENTION WEBINAR — IN ENGLISH 🌟

Looking to strengthen your knowledge and practical skills in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)? 💬✨

Join Little Miracle Therapy & Special Education Care Centre for an insightful 3-hour online webinar exploring practical approaches to AAC intervention across different settings.

🎯 Topics include:
1️⃣ Setting AAC goals
2️⃣ Applying AAC intervention skills & strategies
3️⃣ Implementing fun & engaging AAC intervention sessions
4️⃣ Recognizing & discussing special considerations

📅 Date: Saturday, 3 October 2026
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
💻 Location: Online via Zoom
👩‍🏫 Speaker: Deborah Yong
👥 Maximum: 20 participants
💰 Fee: RM200 per person

📌 Registration:
📞 011-2834 4314
📧 [email protected]

✨ Even miracles take a little time.
Spaces are limited, so register early to secure your place!

*echTherapy

09/04/2026

Some days are filled with stories worth celebrating.
Some days feel quiet, routine, almost forgettable.
Some days test us — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

But through it all, what truly matters is this:
We keep showing up.
We give what we can.
We hold onto hope and pray for the lives under our care.

Every day counts, even the ones that don’t feel like it.

How was your day today?

*echlanguagetherapy *echtherapy

07/04/2026

Without training, the waiter showed respect.
He showed patience.
He showed that all communication—no matter how it happens—is valid.

Perhaps the community is more accepting than we realize.
Perhaps more people are ready to meet our children where they are.
Perhaps we just need to take the first step out, in faith.

We are not just teaching our children to communicate—we’re teaching the world how to communicate with them.

Happy Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month

❤️ Like this story? Follow for more stories like this.
🔄 Don’t forget to share this story to increase Autism and AAC awareness and acceptance.

04/04/2026

Just 3 years ago, Henry (not his real name) started using AAC. It was a GoTalk device and he mainly requested for his favorite item - a piece of cardboard which he would tap repeatedly to hear the sound it made. He showed no interest in tablets and did not know how to operate it.

Now, he
- uses his AAC app to request for his favorite items from his caregivers, calling his family members by name
- orders food at restaurants
- advocates for his needs (use of inhaler)
- reminds mom that it’s time for bed ‘mama+sleep’
- ⁠brings his AAC on the go, while out and about and in school

I’m thrilled to be witnessing such heartwarming moments 3 years on. Henry’s journey in communication amazes and encourages me 💪🏻. Presume competence always.
Teachers, therapists and caregivers, let’s press on.

Happy Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month ❤️

❤️ Like this story? Follow for more stories like this.
🔄 Don’t forget to share this story to increase Autism and AAC awareness and acceptance.

13/03/2026

It was just another SLT session. I was working on communication goals via play and music as usual.

I was supposed to bring Brad* to the toilet at 4pm. So I initiated the process by going to the toilet folder on his AAC app and passing him the toilet button (which he could press to initiate ‘Pee p*e time’). He didn’t press any button and made no move to get up. Slightly anxious that he may wet himself if this took too long, I tried counting down.

Then I heard what sounded like ‘wait’. So I acknowledged it, waited a lil more and added the word ‘wait’ to the toilet folder.

To my surprise, Brad then pressed ‘wait’ repeatedly followed by ‘I can tell people it’s p*e p*e time’. Then he took the orange button and pressed ‘p*e p*e time’. He promptly got up to go to the toilet, sat on the toilet bowl and instantly p*ed. He also looked at me and said ‘p*e p*e’ while on the toilet bowl. Once done, he said what sounded like ‘all done’ or ‘I done’ ✴️

I’m so thrilled that he is getting the hang of this toileting routine and is able to negotiate for more time + communicate when he is ready to go!

✳️ Any time is communication time ✳️

Do you have a toileting & communication story to share? Drop it in the comments - would love to hear from you ❤️

* Name changed for privacy purposes

*echtherapy

04/03/2026

Tip of the day:

Did you know that with certain AAC apps you can share whatever is on the message bar to email, YouTube etc?

This is a game changer for individuals who can’t type reliably as it allows them to compose messages using symbols alone!

Find this tip useful?
Remember to like and share so it helps another teacher, SLT/SLP, parent or AAC user ✴️

27/02/2026

AAC in the Community

1️⃣ A has been bringing his AAC system to therapy, class and around his condo. I asked mom: ‘What changed?’

She said ever since he learnt to type and edit the system to add words he likes, his interest in the AAC has skyrocketed and he takes it with him most of the time.

We’ve just discussed getting him a waterproof and shockproof case with a strap so that he can communicate effectively on the go!

2️⃣ R’s mom shared that she had wished everyone she visited during Chinese New Year ‘Gong Xi Fa Chai’ 🧧.

Additionally, she had requested for photos from people she met so she could add it to her AAC app. Her confidence to initiate conversation with people she is not familiar with has increased greatly, and her parents are pleasantly surprised!

3️⃣ CW had relatives with him over the CNY holidays. When mom was not around, he used his AAC app to tell his uncle he wanted to watch a Tom and Jerry video.

✴️ AAC advocacy is so so so important. Professionals need to advocate for AAC, families need to advocate for AAC, people who use AAC need to advocate for themselves too ❤️

✴️ We need to support and teach our clients to personalize their own AAC. This includes adding photos of people, videos, and things that are meaningful to them. Being able to do so increases AAC buy-in from the client and encourages them to have their AAC system at all times!

*echlanguagetherapy *echtherapy

20/12/2025

We’re coming to the end of 2025, and just like that Deborah has reached her 10th year in the field of AAC. It’s been an eye-opening and heartwarming journey so far.

Here are 10 photos and 10 reflections for the 10th year, plus some Christmas music ✝️

We will be on break from 25th Dec 2025 to 1st Jan 2026.

Happy Holidays, Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! 🎄🎁🎉