AAC and Immigration Raids Preparedness

Written By Maria .

by: Maria De Leon M.S., CCC-SLP

AAC Preparedness

For AAC users, access to communication systems and education for the AAC user and family is essential for effective communication using AAC. However, emergency preparedness is equally vital as access to AAC. There has been some discussion about preparedness for natural disasters (Boesch et al., 2022), but limited resources are available for AAC users affected by Immigration raids and deportations. The literature does inform that Undocumented parents face challenges that affect their U.S. citizen children's development. For example, they avoid public programs due to fears of deportation, and often miss out on valuable health and educational resources that their children are entitled to (Yoshikawa, 2011; Suárez-Orozco et al., 2011; Suárez-Orozco, 2017).

Language learning is a holistic process where we must directly focus on the person's participation in real-world contexts and address factors and skills to participate and deal with extrinsic environmental factors (Light & McNaughton, 2015). For some AAC users, this includes facing the challenges that come with having a parent or family member who is undocumented. With the ongoing persecution of immigrant families, an AAC user must have the ability to communicate in emergencies, such as a parent facing deportation. However, there is not a lot of guidance on how to support an AAC user with this specific issue. The best we can do at this time is follow best evidence-based practices in AAC service provision. Which often includes solutions for AAC participation in different the environment and in real-life situations.

What Can we do as AAC Service Providers

To begin, we need to understand the children and communities we serve, treat them with respect, build on their knowledge, and consider the whole child's needs (Suárez-Orozco, 2017). This idea does not differ from many AAC assessment and intervention approaches, such as the participation model. The participation model emphasizes that we must identify the participation supports and barriers of the AAC users, which forces us to look closely at the different environments, situations, and people with whom an AAC must be able to communicate (Beukelman & Light, 2020). Similarly, the World Health Organization's (WHO's) International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Children & Youth Version (ICF-CY; WHO, 2007) can help identify how culture and societal aspects (such as immigration issues) affect service provision for AAC users (Fannin, 2016).

What Can we do as AAC Service Providers

Build rapport with families, always include them in AAC assessment and intervention

  • Conduct vocabulary inventories that reflect their different environments (home, school)

  • Program appropriate vocabulary in all languages that the child and family speak

  • Stay up to date with immigration policies that directly impact AAC users’ families

  • Make sure AAC users have the necessary vocabulary to talk about people, places, and feelings

  • Make sure to teach vocabulary that AAC users might be unfamiliar with

  • Make sure there are low-tech communication boards

AAC Programing Ideas

Before you start, it is important not to assume that a family is facing immigration issues solely due to racial profiling! Also, please refrain from asking about immigration status from families and AAC users. If the family or student willingly shares their experience, then we can move forward with asking and collaborating on programming the AAC device or talking about it.

Program vocabulary related to immigration ex. ICE, deportation, country of origin, family member names etc

  • Create an emergency folder with words or phrases of important information Ex. Phone number, nationality, emergency contact, way that the person communicates, list of medications, etc

  • Program likes and dislikes for easy access for stressful and unknown situations.

  • Provide vocabulary in all the languages spoken by the AAC user and family; including English.

  • collaborate with family for additional ideas of phrases and vocabulary to be added to the system.

Other Resources

Similar to natural disaster preparedness, we can supply the family with emergency boards that can be useful for all emergencies, including the case of possibly facing deportation or arrest. Usually, emergency vocabulary boards include vocabulary of things, feelings, and actions most commonly used in emergencies. Also, as service providers, we can create schematic communication boards designed around a specific context, theme, or activity, using vocabulary that reflects what a person might need to say in that particular situation

Examples of emergency preparedness communication boards:


Link to Communication Passport: https://wakelet.com/wake/xE42hwmlJAza57dJd7_hT


Maria .
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Low/Light Tech ACC