#163: You Want to Model AAC, but Don't Know How to Get Your Team On Board

#163: You Want to Model AAC, but Don't Know How to Get Your Team On Board

From The Autism Little Learners Podcast by Tara Phillips

February 24, 2026 · 20 min · Season 2 · Episode 163

About this episode

This episode discusses the challenges and misconceptions surrounding AAC in educational settings and emphasizes the importance of modeling without pressure.

What if AAC feels heavy in your classroom, not because you're doing it wrong — but because you've been carrying pressure that was never meant to be there? In this episode, we reflect on what unfolded during AAC Bootcamp and explore the invisible weight educators, SLPs, and caregivers often carry when supporting AAC users. From second-guessing modeling to worrying about prompt dependency, progress monitoring, and team hesitation, this conversation gently reframes what AAC is actually meant to be. AAC is not about performance. It is about exposure. You'll hear real classroom examples of what modeling without expectation looked like in action, what shifted when adults removed pressure, and how teams began moving from urgency to presence. This episode centers regulation, access, and sustainability — because support works best when it fits daily life. In This Episode, You'll Learn • Why AAC often feels fragile or intimidating in school settings • The hidden performance pressure educators carry around communication • The difference between modeling for exposure and modeling for output • What modeling without expectation actually looks like in real routines • Why slow AAC growth is…

People in this episode

Host: Tara Phillips

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Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: AAC Bootcamp, SLPs

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