Advocates urge teaching and licensure changes to expand augmentative/alternative communication in schools

Parents, attorneys and disability advocates told the Joint Committee on Education that many students who rely on augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are not benefiting from devices because classroom staff lack training and inclusion strategies.

Nicole Sheff, a parent, described how AAC expanded her 10-year-old son's ability to express needs and participate in integrated settings. "AACs have significantly expanded my child's ability to communicate to others clearly and effectively and to understand what others are trying to communicate to him," Sheff testified.

Advocates said federal special education law requires districts to provide communication devices when needed, but implementation often falls short because general-education and many special-education teachers lack hands-on training. Anne Guay, a pro bono attorney with Massachusetts Advocates for Children and a member of Advocates for Autism of Massachusetts, said the bill — House 514 / Senate 418 — would direct DESE to review and amend teacher licensure…