Question 1

Who is the American Board of Augmentative and Alternative Communication?

Accepted Answer

The American Board of AAC Specialty Certification (AB-AAC) is an independent, volunteer-run, nonprofit organization.

Our role is to protect consumers, safeguard the integrity of clinical practice in AAC, and support certificants in demonstrating ongoing competence as specialists.

Question 2

What is the mission of the AB-AAC?

Accepted Answer

To provide the opportunity for practitioners to specify the nature of the evidence-based AAC clinical practice they deliver.
To offer resources for Board Certified Speech Language Pathologist Specialists' life-long learning.
To administer an efficient certification program for specialists in the clinical practice for augmentative and alternativecommunication (AAC).

Question 3

What is the AB-AAC and its relationship with ASHA?

Accepted Answer

The American Board of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AB-AAC) is an independent and autonomous organization, distinct from ASHA in its mission and purpose.

The Board-Certified Specialist in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (BCS-AAC) credential has been formally recognized by ASHA through the approval of the AB-AAC’s application by the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC). This approval confirms that the AB-AAC meets the tenets and standards required for ASHA-recognized specialty certification.

The AB-AAC expresses sincere appreciation to ASHA and the CFCC for their collaboration and support throughout the recognition process. While the BCS-AAC credential has been recognized through ASHA’s petitioning group process (see page 7 of the AB-AAC Manual for details), the AB-AAC is completing the final steps to be formally listed on ASHA’s Clinical Specialty Certification website.

Additional information regarding ASHA-recognized specialty certification can be found on ASHA’s website.

The AB-AAC remains committed to upholding ASHA’s professional standards and advancing excellence in AAC clinical practice.

Question 4

Why Become Board Certified in AAC? Unlock the Value of BCS-AAC

Accepted Answer

Achieving Board Certification in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (BCS-AAC) sets you apart as a leader in AAC clinical practice. It’s more than a credential. It’s a professional milestone that validates your expertise, strengthens your confidence, and connects you to a vibrant community of AAC specialists.
Benefits of BCS-AAC Certification:
Clear professional standards: Gain concrete guidelines that define the      knowledge and skills expected of AAC specialists.
Confidence in your expertise: Strengthen your ability to identify and implement      best practices in AAC service delivery.
Professional recognition: Clients and colleagues can easily identify you as a CCC-SLP who has earned third-party validation of specialized skill in AAC.
Collaborative community: Join a network of highly qualified AAC professionals who share resources, mentorship, and training opportunities.
Targeted professional growth: Access advanced trainings focused on AAC clinical      practice and ethics.
Career advancement: Enhance your marketability, open new opportunities, and      gain recognition for your specialized focus in AAC.
Board Certification in AAC isn’t just a title. It’s a commitment to excellence, ethics, and leadership in empowering communication for all.

Question 5

How will AAC Specialty Certification benefit me as an SLP not exclusively seeing clients who rely on AAC?

Accepted Answer

You can identify an AAC mentor who is board certified to increase your knowledge and skills if you choose.
You can quickly identify higher-level training opportunities related to AAC clinical practices and AAC ethics.
You have additional AAC resources to seek information on specific AAC clinical practices.
You can quickly and easily find AAC specialists to contact to answer your questions about AAC or to make a referral for a more complex or complicated client or situation.

Question 6

I'm excited about AAC Specialty Certification.  What can I do now?

Accepted Answer

BE PREPARED! GET ON OUR MAILING LIST! VOLUNTEER!
 
Start to build your resume or CV to document your AAC clinical work experience and effort.
Join our mailing list & complete a volunteer application: email us at info@aacspecialist.org
Download the CEU tracker under the, "Become Board Certified," Tab and begin documenting your intermediate and advanced CUEs related to AAC.
Explore the other documents under, the "Become Board Certified," tab to learn more about requirements and planning for application. 
Stay excited and stand up for the privilege to have your AAC knowledge and skills recognized. You worked hard to acquire your advanced level clinical practices and to provide best practices to your clients and families.

Question 7

How does Specialty Certification benefit our clients and families?

Accepted Answer

Allows for complex patients to quickly and easily find providers who are highly skilled in AAC assessment and treatment.
Saves precious time for clients and families who go through a trial-and error process to identify AAC intervention, but still have not been fully informed of all their options.
Saves money for clients and families who may have selected an AAC intervention and then abandoned treatment, because the AAC intervention failed to meet expectations.
Increases client and family confidence and satisfaction in their AAC services knowing that they are working with a specialist who is aware of best practices in their clinical services and can fully inform them of all their options

Question 8

How will AAC Specialty Certification benefit my clients and their families who need AAC?

Accepted Answer

Clients and families with complex communication needs frequently request services from specialists as do many of us seeking quality health care services. Specialty certification provides the following:

Allows for complex patients to quickly and easily find providers who are highly skilled in AAC assessment and treatment.
Saves precious time for clients and families who go through a trial-and error process to identify AAC intervention, but still have not been fully informed of all their options.
Saves money for clients and families who may have selected an AAC intervention and then abandoned treatment, because the AAC intervention failed to meet expectations.
Increases client and family cofidence and satisfaction in their AAC services knowing that they are working with a specialist who is aware of best practices in their clinical services and can fully inform them of all their options.

Question 9

Who will be able to apply to become board certified in AAC?

Accepted Answer

AAC specialty certification is for speech language pathologists who are ASHA-certified members seeking clinical recognition for achieving advanced level AAC knowledge and skills. You are eligible for AAC specialty certification if you are:
 
ASHA CCC-SLP with current certification
A Clinical Practitioner certifying a work effort in AAC clinical services, years of experience and continuing education
A Master Clinician certifying a work effort in AAC clinical services as well as clinical supervision and/or administrative AAC services, years of experience with teaching/presenting and continuing education.

Question 10

Why Now?

Accepted Answer

This is an exciting time for the growth of specialty certification for ASHA Member!

ASHA members have participated in surveys such as:

Special Interest Group 12 Augmentative and Alternative Communication. (2016, January 13th). SIG 12 Clinical Specialty Certification in AAC Survey. [Data Set].

Council for Clinical Certification for Audiology and Speech Language Pathology (CFCC). (2019, October 30th.) Specialty Certification in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). [Data Set].

Showing that SLPs who provide AAC clinical services strongly support specialty certification and an ATIA survey in 2011 with results published in 2017 supporting continuing specialized training in AAC and assistive technology.

Assistive technology Industry Association. (2017).  The Critical Need for Knowledge and Usage of AT and AAC Among Speech-Language Pathologists. https://www.atia.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ATIA-SLP-Survey-2011.pdf

ASHA’s peer review survey was sent to nearly 18,000 ASHA certified members who were affiliated with SIG 12 or self-identified as having expertise in the area of AAC and concluded on October 30, 2018.  Results concluded that an overwhelming 82.9% of respondents agreed that there should be clinical specialty certification in AAC.

Question 11

What is the need for specialty certification?

Accepted Answer

Undertrained SLPs may not identify a client as a candidate for AAC strategies or technology (Creer et al, 2016). 
 
Undertrained SLPs may delay the recommendation for AAC services and prolong the delivery of traditional speech therapy perpetuating the myth that use of an AAC system with impede development of natural speech (Romski and Sevcik, 2005; Romski et al., 2015). 
 
SLPs with minimal training may rely too heavily on an AAC manufacturer’s representative (sales person) in the assessment process to select an AAC system. 
Undertrained SLPs may depend only on one AAC manufacturer to demonstrate and trial an AAC product line to select a speech generating device (SGD) for funding. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expects a minimum of three (3) products to represent a fair range of SGD options. 
 
Undertrained SLPs may depend on an AAC manufacturer’s representative to assist in writing the SGD Funding Request to submit for insurance coverage. 
 
Undertrained SLPs may modify the assessment and trial process to exclude viable SGDs that might provide the most effective communication due to beneficiary coverage policies, because recommending an SGD with a higher likelihood of denial would require time for the appeal process that is not billable.

Question 12

How will application and renewal fees be spent?

Accepted Answer

Board members on the American Board for Augmentative and Alternative Communication receive no compensation as these are unpaid positions.  Dues and fees will be used toward operations.  This can include but is not limited to administrative assistants, accountants, attorney fees, contractors, vendors, website maintenance, and personnel reviewing materials from and assisting AB-AAC certificate applicants.

Question 13

How did work on AAC Specialty Certification Start?

Accepted Answer

At the July 2016, SIG 12 coordinating committee meeting at the ASHA national office (in response to repeated affiliates' request to pursue certification), members reviewed supporting evidence, available funding, and procedural processes for establishing specialty certification for AAC. The SIG 12 coordinating committee voted unanimous approval to move forward, which led to the formation of an independent petitioning group. The petitioning group consisted of several SIG-12 members who completed the Stage I application. Petitioning group members submitting grants to ASHA to establish specialty certification consisted of Meher Banajee, Kathy Beatty, Ovetta Harris, Katya Hill, Christine Hurtubise, Michael O'Leary, and Nicole Tripp. As members rotated off, new members were included; Mike Cole and Jennifer Cristiano. All AB-AAC members will qualify and meet specialty certification requirements when enacted being held to the same standards as all applicants. (Important note: The work toward establishing specialty certification is not a function of SIG 12).

Question 14

Were people using AAC included in this process?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as part of this process, an advisory board was created.  This advisory board includes People who use AAC as well as parents advocates. The advisory board indicated validation and approval of AAC specialty certification. The advisory board also provides input on grant applications to guide the purpose and requirements needed for AAC specialty certification.

Question 15

What will be the process for the AAC Specialty Certification?

Accepted Answer

The process for specialty certification will include the following items:
 
· An initial form to be filled out with your curriculum vitae and verification of ASHA membership
 
· Verification of continuing education received at the intermediate and advanced levels.
 
· Submission of artifacts based on your application in the clinical or academic/administrative track

· Completion of a standardized test

Question 16

What are the CEU Requirements?

Accepted Answer

CEU requirements can be found under the, "Become Board Certified," tab in the "Preparing for the BC-AAC," section.

Question 17

What if a continuing education course does not list the instructional level?

Accepted Answer

1. Review the Course Objectives and Syllabus
 
Look for keywords like “advanced techniques,” “complex case studies,” “specialized applications” versus “foundational,” “introductory,” or “basic principles.”
Advanced courses often include problem-solving, critical analysis, or application of theory in complex scenarios.
 
2. Review the Continuing Education Taxonomy on the AAC Specialist website
Review the Bloom's taxonomy levels descriptions and verbs
Identify where the course objectives fall within the instructional levels
 
3. Check Instructor Credentials and Target Audience
 
If the course is taught by a highly specialized professional or marketed toward experienced practitioners, it likely leans toward intermediate or advanced.
Some providers list the intended audience (e.g., “for professionals with 3+ years experience”).
 
4. Contact the Provider
 
Ask directly:  “Could you clarify whether this course meets intermediate or advanced CE requirements for ASHA?”
 
5. Document Your Rationale
 
If you decide to count the course, keep a record of:
    Course description
    Learning objectives
    Why you believe it meets the required level 
  This helps in case of an audit.

Question 18

What will be on the standardized test?

Accepted Answer

The process for this is underway including:
·  A clinical practice analysis study in consultation with a psychometrician
·  A survey will be sent to professional SLP's practicing in the field.
·  The Ad-Hoc committee will develop test questions
· The test will be piloted
· The pilot will be reviewed and analyzed to determine if changes are required.
· A scoring committee will review and determine cut-off scores

Question 19

Who is involved in this process?

Accepted Answer

In addition to Board members the process also involves:
 
· An advisory board consisting of people who use AAC, parent advocates, and representatives from other professions.
 
· Over 100 SLP volunteers

· Professional consultants such as a psychometrician, lawyer, and accountant are also involved in the process.

Question 20

Are a wide variety of practice settings involved in this process?

Accepted Answer

Yes!  You will see from the board member bios that experience ranges from:
Public education
Private education
Private practice
Outpatient rehabilitation
University faculty
Hospital settings
State Education Department
Positions within ASHA
And include a variety of patients across the lifespan with a variety of needs.
Additionally the over 100 SLP who volunteered to be a part of this process hailed from a wide variety of settings and locations.  Finally, the advisory board includes individuals using AAC, parent advocates of individuals using AAC and collaborative professionals

Question 21

I have heard other organizations have some concerns related to this process. Will they have input into the process?

Accepted Answer

The AB-AAC welcomes input from all organizations and seeks to work collaboratively with stakeholders during this process.  The AB-AAC has addressed these concerns and remains open to meeting with the individuals to further discuss any issues of concern should they choose to do so.  You will also find a "contact us," section in this website where we can easily be reached.

This is an inclusive process and is in response to request for this certification.

Question 22

How can I volunteer to support the AB-AAC and foster growth in specialty recognition for AAC?

Accepted Answer

Since 2016, ASHA members have been invited to volunteer and have participated in various Ad Hoc committee efforts.   Updates on AB-AAC committee work and recruitment for committees have been through the newsletter, the SIG 12 discussion list, at the annual SIG 12 meeting, at various national conference Town Hall presentations and at numerous state and regional workshops and seminars attended by AB-AAC members. Committee recruitment is an on-going effort, and we are looking for volunteers.  It’s easy, simply click here to see what is needed and let us know how you would like to help out!

Question 23

How long is the maintenance interval?

Accepted Answer

Maintenance intervals are 3 years in length, for example, March 2025-March 2027 reflects 3 years, 
1. March 2025, 
2. March 2026
3. March 2027
The next 3-year interval begins March 2028.  At each 3-year maintenance interval, affiliates need to complete submission of the documentation as stated in section F.2 of the AB-AAC manual to maintain their credentials as a Board-Certified Specialist in AAC.

Question 24

Am I able to count a presentation at a conference as part of my CEU maintenance submission?

Accepted Answer

Presenting an evidence-based session at a conference or organized learning event lets
you:

1. Take credit for the number of hours listed on the certificate of completion
2. Count the presented topic one time per maintenance interval for BCS-AAC

Provided the educational content meets CEU requirements as stated in manual section
C.1.5

Question 25

How can I complete payment for annual dues?

Accepted Answer

The American Board of Augmentative and Communication Website is undergoing an update. When this is completed, you will be notified of the payment process via individual email or newsletter.

Question 26

Are informal journal/book clubs accepted as professional development hours (PDHs)?

Accepted Answer

The Operations Manual does reference journals as an acceptable category of CE. However, this reference is specific in scope and intent and does not extend to informal or self-organized book or journal clubs.

What the Operations Manual Means by “Journals”
The journal-based PDH provision is intended to recognize structured engagement with peer-reviewed professional journals, where learning outcomes can be objectively demonstrated. Specifically, acceptable journal-based CE activities include:
Reading reputable, peer-reviewed AAC or related professional journals
Demonstrating acquisition of intermediate to advanced knowledge
Completing formal evaluative measures (e.g., post-tests, quizzes, or assessments)
Providing documentation of successful completion, verifying that learning objectives were met
This structure ensures that journal-based activities meet the rigor, consistency, and verifiability required for certification maintenance.

Why Informal Book or Journal Clubs Do Not Qualify
While book clubs and journal clubs can be valuable for professional growth, self-formed discussion groups—including book clubs or informal journal clubs—do not meet PDH requirements unless they are:
Sponsored or recognized by an approved PDH provider and
Accompanied by formal instructional design, learning objectives, and evaluative assessment
Without these elements, it is not possible for the Board to verify:
The level of content (introductory vs. advanced)
Individual participation and mastery
Alignment with certification maintenance standards

As a result, independent book clubs or discussion-based journal groups are not eligible for CE credit toward certification maintenance.

Commitment to High Standards
Maintaining specialty certification reflects a commitment to ongoing, measurable professional competence. Requiring structured PDH activities with evaluative components ensures fairness, quality, and consistency for all certificants.

FAQ

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