AAC in the classroom: accommodations teachers can make

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

AAC classroom accommodations make sure the student can use their communication system in every lesson: the device is always there and charged, unit words are added ahead of time, adults wait and model, and tests accept device answers. For example: the SLP adds 10 to 20 unit words to the device at least 1 week before each science unit.

A student with a speech-generating device can still sit silent all day if the device is in a backpack, the battery is dead, the unit words are missing or the teacher moves on before the message is done. AAC accommodations are the small, written promises that stop those things from happening. This page gives 12 of them, worded the way they belong in the IEP, with a check on each for grading and testing.

These are for students who already have a system. For goals, see the AAC goals examples. For students without AAC needs, the speech and language accommodations page has 20 more. The speech therapy IEP goals pillar covers the rest.

Why AAC needs its own accommodations

The IEP team must consider whether the student needs assistive technology devices and services.^[1] When the device is needed for the student to receive a free appropriate public education, it must be available, and its use at home or in other settings can be required too.^[2] Assistive technology services include training the teachers and staff who work with the student.^[3]

Accommodations turn those decisions into daily practice. They also protect against a common misunderstanding: that AAC is a reward or a backup. AAC is the student's voice, and there are no prerequisites to using it.^[4]

The test for each item

Ask: does this change what the student must learn or show? If not, it is an accommodation. If it does, it is a modification and should be named as one. For state tests, an accommodation must be on the state's allowed list.^[5]

Access and readiness

#	Accommodation as written in the IEP	Acc or mod	Effect on grading and testing
1	The student's speech-generating device is within reach in all classes, specials, lunch, recess and on the bus, and is never removed as a consequence.	Accommodation	None
2	The device is charged overnight, and a printed core word board matching the device layout is kept in every classroom the student attends, for use if the device fails.	Accommodation	None
3	The student is seated where peers and the teacher can see the screen and hear the device, and the device volume is checked at the start of each class by staff.	Accommodation	None

The speech-generating device and core vocabulary glossary entries define the terms.

Vocabulary and preparation

#	Accommodation as written in the IEP	Acc or mod	Effect on grading and testing
4	The teacher sends the SLP the next unit's key vocabulary at least 2 weeks ahead, and the SLP adds 10 to 20 unit words to the device at least 1 week before the unit starts.	Accommodation	None
5	For whole-group discussions, the teacher gives the student the discussion question the day before, so a message can be prepared and stored.	Accommodation	None

Partner supports during lessons

#	Accommodation as written in the IEP	Acc or mod	Effect on grading and testing
6	After asking the student a question, adults wait at least 20 seconds for a device response before rephrasing, and do not finish or guess the student's message unless the student asks.	Accommodation	None
7	During whole-group and small-group instruction, the teacher or para models key words on the device or a matching core board while talking, in every core class.	Accommodation	None
8	When an open question is too hard to answer on the device in the time available, the teacher may offer 2 to 4 written or spoken choices.	Accommodation for participation; modification on graded tasks that measure recall	Check the task. Choices change a recall item into a recognition item

Number 7 is the most important line on this page and the one most often skipped. The aided language modeling guide shows staff how to do it.

Assignments and testing

#	Accommodation as written in the IEP	Acc or mod	Effect on grading and testing
9	The student may answer classroom tests and assignments on the device, with the para recording the response exactly as produced.	Accommodation	On state tests, confirm the state allows a scribe or device response
10	For multiple choice items, the para may use partner-assisted scanning, reading each choice aloud while the student signals the answer.	Accommodation	On state tests, check whether scanning is allowed and who may do it
11	Oral reading fluency checks are replaced by comprehension questions answered on the device.	Modification	Changes what is measured; report results under district policy
12	The number of answer choices on tests is reduced from 4 to 2.	Modification	Changes difficulty; grading and report cards must reflect it

The partner-assisted scanning entry explains how scanning works. The testing accommodations IEP page covers state test rules in more depth.

Weak vs IEP-ready wording

Weak: "Student will have access to AAC." IEP-ready: Number 1 above. It names every setting and rules out taking the device away.

Weak: "Allow extra time to respond." IEP-ready: Number 6 above. It gives a time in seconds and tells adults not to finish the message.

Weak: "Device programmed with needed vocabulary." IEP-ready: Number 4 above. It names who, how many words and by when.

Making the accommodations stick

Most AAC accommodations fail in specials, at lunch and with substitutes, the places nobody briefed. Give every adult who works with the student a one-page sheet with numbers 1, 6 and 7 at the top. Train the para first; they are often with the student the most. Check the device location and charge on random days for the first month.

Track use, not just presence. A device on the desk all day with zero messages means something is missing: vocabulary, modeling or wait time. The AAC data collection page shows how to count messages by type, and the AAC baseline page shows how to start. The broader assistive technology accommodations list covers other devices and tools.

Goal templates for every area are on the AAC goals page and the IEP goals for AAC users hub. Check any paired goal in the goal checker.

Frequently asked questions

Can a teacher take away a student's AAC device for behavior?

It should never be taken away as a consequence. The device is how the student communicates, including how they say stop, help or no. Write that into the IEP as an accommodation so every adult knows the rule.

Who programs new vocabulary on the AAC device?

Usually the SLP, with words the teacher sends ahead of each unit. Write the timeline into the IEP, such as words sent 2 weeks ahead and programmed 1 week before the unit, so it happens every time.

Can students use AAC on state tests?

Many states allow responses through a device or a scribe as an accommodation, but the rules differ by state and by test. Check your state's accessibility and accommodations manual before writing the testing section.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.324: Development, review, and revision of IEP, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.105: Assistive technology, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.6: Assistive technology service, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), ASHA
34 CFR §300.160: Participation in assessments, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.