03/16/2026
Stop and listen to AAC users! ❤️ Speech devices and other AAC take a *lot* more work than natural speech. You have to gather your thoughts, translate them into available words, remember the process of choosing those words, deal with more interruptions than mouth-speakers, and not lose track of where you were in your sentence.
And that's not even counting any brain fog, body movements, cognitive deficits, physical discomfort, etc. that many people with disabilities are also juggling. When someone uses AAC, take it seriously!
If you know someone who could use AAC, don't think of it as giving up on speech, it's a lot more like an armpit crutch that everyone's happy to drop if they ever don't need it anymore. In the meantime it gives them a more comfortable foundation to build upon.
Internal monologue voiced by Becca's sister! ❤️
Got any questions for Becca about her process of communication? Ask in the comments!
Becca says she doesn't think in computer-voice, her inner monologue sounds like her natural voice.
She also says she doesn't think in only words from her speech device. Which makes sense, her exposure to language is a lot broader than what her device can speak.
If you use AAC, I hope you can feel like it's worth it! It can take a lot of work, but being heard and understood is important in expanding your autonomy over time. Setting goals for yourself, like to start using a new word, can help you keep making progress.
