Getting AAC in Hawaii

What to do, in order

1. Ask for an evaluation

   A speech-language pathologist does the evaluation, and there are two ways in. For a student, write to the school’s IEP team and ask them to consider assistive technology for communication. For anyone, child or adult, ask a doctor for a referral to a speech-language pathologist for an AAC evaluation. If the school process stalls, Learning Disabilities Association of Hawaii can help you prepare. It is a federally funded parent center for families in Hawaii.

2. Borrow a device before you choose

   Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii is the Assistive Technology Act program for Hawaii. Every state has one, and its job includes device demonstrations and short-term loans, so you can see what works at home before anything is ordered. These programs serve people of every age.

3. Get it paid for

   If a student’s IEP says they need a device to learn, the school must provide it at no cost to the family. For a device the person owns and takes everywhere, Hawaii Medicaid covers speech-generating devices for children when an evaluation shows medical need, and Medicare covers them as durable medical equipment. Adult Medicaid coverage and private insurance vary, so ask for the durable medical equipment benefit in writing.

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

Loans and funding at a glance

• Borrow a device first

  Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii offers demonstrations and short-term loans of communication devices.

  Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii

• Through your school

  Ask for assistive technology to be considered in the IEP. If the team agrees the student needs a device to learn, the school provides it.

  Hawaii special education

• Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance

  A speech-language pathologist’s evaluation documents medical need. The clinic or device supplier then submits the request to the insurer.

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.