Explore why AAC systems must include anatomically correct, sexual, and other socially sensitive vocabulary to support safety, autonomy, and full communicative rights across the lifespan. Attendees will examine research on heightened abuse risk for people with disabilities, learn how limited vocabulary access can restrict self-advocacy and medical communication, and gain practical strategies for discussing values-based concerns with families. This presentation centers the rights of AAC users and the ethical responsibility of clinicians and educators to provide comprehensive vocabulary access. Through case examples and actionable tools, this session equips professionals to champion inclusive, ethical vocabulary practices that allow AAC users to communicate authentically and completely.

Content Note: This session may include sensitive language, including body parts, sexual vocabulary, and curse words

Learning Outcomes:
- Explain the rationale for including anatomically correct and sexual vocabulary in AAC systems.
- Identify strategies for addressing concerns from families and professionals about sensitive vocabulary in AAC page sets.
- Demonstrate how to customize AAC vocabulary to support user autonomy, safety, and developmental appropriateness across the lifespan.

This course was registered with ASHA CE under the subject of Ethics and Ethical Decision Making and will appear on learners’ CE transcripts as such.

Presenter: Caroline Gaddy, MFA, MA, CCC-SLP  This content was developed by a team of professionals with experience in learning design, AAC, education, and speech-language pathology.

Disclosures: Financial Disclosure: Caroline is a full-time employee of Tobii Dynavox. She is also the owner of Vibrant Minds, LLC. Non-financial Disclosure: Caroline has no nonfinancial relationships to disclose. Content Disclosure: Because of the unique characteristics of our product, this presentation will focus exclusively on the Tobii Dynavox product line and will not include information about other communication or educational products.

This course is eligible for Continuing Education Credits for members of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. To earn a certificate of completion (or ASHA CEUs if applicable) you must complete all sections of the course, including a final quiz.


Disclaimer: ASHA CE Provider approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products or clinical procedures.




For more like this, you may also search ASHA, CEU, implementation, taboo, content area 1, intermediate

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