10/03/2026
October is AAC Awareness Month!
On October 1, 2026, Tidehaven ISD celebrated the kickoff of AAC Awareness Month by highlighting the many ways students are being supported to communicate throughout their school day.
AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication and includes tools and strategies that help individuals communicate. AAC can include pictures, communication boards, signs, gestures, and speech-generating devices — often called “talkers.” Most importantly, AAC gives students another way to share their thoughts, wants, needs, ideas, and personalities!
Gulf Coast Special Education Speech-Language Pathologists Amanda McKnight and Courtney Romine welcomed Hannah Herring, Tobii Dynavox Solutions Consultant for the Greater Houston Area, for a visit across TISD campuses.
Throughout the morning, TISD had the opportunity to showcase classrooms at Markham Elementary, Blessing Elementary, and Tidehaven Junior High & High School where AAC is being incorporated into everyday learning and communication. The visit highlighted the collaboration between teachers, staff, and speech-language pathologists to help students become confident and successful communicators.
Special thanks to Gulf Coast Special Education for donating AAC shirts to staff members who attended AAC implementation training provided by the Speech-Language Pathologists this past summer.
October may be AAC Awareness Month, but supporting communication happens every day!
