The second edition of South Africa’s very own AAC Resource Manual (2015) with the new 2017 Addendum is now available for purchase.

If you are working with individuals with little or no functional speech (LNFS) or complex communication needs (CCN), then this manual is just for you.

More than a hundred topics, written by South Africans who are involved with and work with individuals who are in need of AAC, are covered in the manual. Practical guidelines are provided and are aimed at assisting therapists, teachers and families who work and live with these individuals on a daily basis.

The manual consists of 15 chapters, dealing with the following topics:

Chapter 1: Getting going

Chapter 2: Screening and assessment of a potential AAC candidate

Chapter 3: The use of AAC strategies in various settings (e.g. home, school, hospital, court)

Chapter 4: Various AAC tools and intervention strategies (e.g. Talking Mats, PECS, Aided language stimulation etc.)

Chapter 5: Communication books and boards

Chapter 6: AAC in the classroom (e.g. setting up the AAC classroom for learning, literacy, use of Blissymbols etc.)

Chapter 7: Let us play (e.g. adapting toys and activities for children with physical disabilities)

Chapter 8: Access (e.g. switches, eye control systems, hardware access options etc.)

Chapter 9: Assistive technology (e.g. dedicated and non-dedicated AAC devices, AAC software and apps etc.)

Chapter 10: Assessment of and intervention strategies for challenging behaviour

Chapter 11: The use of AAC in specific populations (e.g. Autism spectrum Disorder, Motor Neuron  Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Severe Visual Impairments, Intellectual Disabilities etc.)

Chapter 12: Useful websites, contacts and resources

Chapter 13: AAC terminology

Chapter 14: Examples of various communication boards

Chapter 15: Marketing (learn more about various AAC service providers in South Africa)

The 2017 Addendum has been added to reflect some of the latest developments and areas of interest in the practice of AAC in South Africa. It has a wealth of practical ideas and information to offer everyone involved in the AAC field.  Some of the topics addressed in the addendum include visual scene displays, Pragmatic organisation dynamic displays (PODD), message banking and partner assisted scanning, just to name a few.

The AAC Resource Manual is for the first time available online / electronically.  Orders for the AAC Resource Manual can be made from the Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) at the University of Pretoria. 

Costs: R250.00 per unique downloadable link

Should you wish to access an electronic copy of the AAC Resource Manual (2nd edition) with the 2017 Addendum, please follow these easy steps:

1. Make a payment into the following bank account:

ABSA Hatfield

Account number: 214 00000 38

Cheque account

Branch Code: 632005

Reference: AAC Resource Manual

Costing / Account no: A08584/03545

2. Send proof of payment to [email protected]

3. You will then receive an email with the subject: Download: AAC Resource Manual

4. This email will contain a unique downloadable link, meaning that it can only be downloaded once.  So please make sure that you download the AAC Resource Manual to the device on which you would like to keep a copy.

5. Click on the link provided to download these items.

6. The files will then be downloaded to your computer. Please be patient as it may take a while.

7. Proof of the download will be sent to the CAAC for our records.    

If you experience any difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact us. For more information on the AAC Resource Manual and Addendum 2017, please contact [email protected]

Happy reading!!!