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Getting AAC in Ontario

AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) means tools that help a person communicate when speech is hard: picture boards, apps and devices that speak. It is for children and for adults. This guide shows you who to ask, what is free, what gets paid for, and what you can start doing today.

Last updated September 20, 2026

What to do, in order

  1. Get assessed at an AAC clinic

    In Ontario the way in is an assessment at an AAC clinic registered with the province’s Assistive Devices Program (ADP), or with an individual authorizer. A doctor or speech-language pathologist can refer you, and for a child so can a children’s treatment centre. ADP covers Ontario residents of any age. The Assistive Devices Program page linked below explains how to find a registered clinic.

  2. Buy or lease

    After the assessment the clinic prescribes equipment. If you buy it, ADP pays 75 percent of the approved cost and you pay the rest. People receiving Ontario Disability Support Program or Ontario Works benefits can ask about help with their share. Many people lease instead through the Centralized Equipment Pool, which suits a growing child or changing needs because equipment can be returned and swapped after a reassessment.

  3. Ask the school too

    For equipment a student uses at school, the school board can apply for Special Equipment Amount funding. Speak with the special education resource teacher.

  4. Start modeling today

    You do not have to wait for any of this. Modeling means pointing to words on a board or app while you talk, so the person learning sees how it works. You can begin with a free app now and carry on with whatever device comes later.

    Open MoCo and try it now

If your child is not yet in school

Ontario’s Preschool Speech and Language Program is free for children from birth until they start school. You can contact your local program yourself, with no doctor’s referral.

Preschool Speech and Language Program

Find a speech-language pathologist

Check that a speech-language pathologist is licensed, and search the public register by location.

CASLPO public register

Loans and funding at a glance

  • Assistive Devices Program

    Pays 75 percent of the approved cost of a communication aid prescribed by an ADP-registered clinic or authorizer.

    ADP: communication aids

  • Lease through the Centralized Equipment Pool

    Lease, return and swap communication aids through your AAC clinic as needs change.

    Centralized Equipment Pool

Borrow and try devices

Common questions

Will using AAC stop someone from learning to talk?
No. Studies have found that AAC does not hold back speech. Many children speak more after they start using it.
Is AAC only for children?
No. Adults use AAC after a stroke or brain injury, and with conditions such as ALS, Parkinson’s disease and cerebral palsy. Many autistic adults use it too. For an adult, an evaluation usually starts with a doctor’s referral to a speech-language pathologist.
Is there an age or a skill someone needs first?
No. There is no minimum age, no upper age, and no skill a person has to show first. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association advises against asking anyone to prove they are ready before they get a way to communicate.
What is the difference between an app and a dedicated device?
Both speak words aloud when a button is touched. A dedicated speech-generating device is medical equipment that insurance may pay for after an evaluation. An app runs on a tablet or computer you already own. Many people start with an app while they wait for an evaluation. MoCo is a free app, so you can begin today.
What can we do while we wait for an appointment?
Open MoCo and try it. If you are supporting someone who is learning language, start modeling: touch words as you say them during everyday routines, without asking them to copy you. People learn AAC the way they learn speech, by seeing it used around them for a long time before they use it themselves.