AAC Summer Intensives at Elevate Health

At Elevate Health, we understand that communication goes far beyond therapy sessions — it happens during playtime, snack time, errands, and daily family routines. That’s why we’re excited to offer our AAC Summer Intensives, a unique program designed to strengthen communication between AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) users and their families.

These intensives are family-focused sessions that bring communication strategies into real-life moments. Whether you're just getting started with AAC or looking for ways to make it part of your everyday life, our intensives are built to support both the AAC user and their families in a fun, meaningful way.

You can choose from four interactive options:

1. Play with Your Child & Sibling
   Families engage in guided play activities where everyone (siblings too!) learns how to support AAC use during play.

2. Demo & Parent Training
   See it in action! We demonstrate how to play with your child using AAC, followed by a hands-on parent training session. This isn’t just a sit-down training — it’s active, engaging, and child-focused.

3. Community-Based Interaction: CVS Outing
   Join our SLP at a local CVS, where your child can use their AAC device to make choices, ask for help, and interact in a real-world setting. This is a fantastic opportunity to build confidence and functional communication skills outside the clinic.

4. Mealtime & AAC Fun
   Mealtimes are the perfect setting to build language. We show families how to incorporate AAC during snack time using play-based and real food activities — promoting requests, choices, social language, and more.

These intensives can be one-time experiences or weekly add-ons, depending on your family’s needs and schedule. Please note: these sessions are not a replacement for your child’s regular therapy, but a supplemental, immersive experience to boost communication in everyday life.

AAC empowers individuals with complex communication needs to express themselves. Research shows that family involvement is crucial for AAC success — consistent modeling and interaction help users become confident and competent communicators (Kent-Walsh & Light, 2003). Our goal with these intensives is to give families the tools and confidence to support communication beyond the clinic.

Reference

Kent-Walsh, J., & Light, J. (2003). General education teachers’ experiences with inclusion of students who use augmentative and alternative communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 19(2), 104–124.