To support communication and language for K-12 students who use AAC, educators need practical, evidence-based strategies they can readily implement in the classroom. That's what they'll find in this authoritative guidebook, an ideal professional development resource for special educators and other service providers working with students who are non- or minimally speaking.Created by AAC pioneer Howard Shane and speech-language pathologist Leigh Anne White, this is the educator's definitive guide to understanding AAC and improving outcomes for students who use these tools. Inclusive educators, paraprofessionals, and other service providers will learn best practices for leveraging AAC to boost their students' expressive and receptive communication and language learning competence, with care and respect for each learner's individual strengths and differences. With a balance of background information and actionable strategies, this book will prepare educators to nurture language and communication skillsand improve quality of lifefor students with significant communication needs.READERS WILL:Review the seven pragmatic functions of communicationExplore the impact of various disabilities on communicationLearn principles and practices of communication and language assessment for learners who are non- or minimally speakingGet expert guidance on successfully applying educational and therapeutic interventions in the classroomMaster a three-part framework for using visuals to support students' comprehension, enhance their language expression, and help them plan and organize learning tasksDiscover tips and strategies for creating a communication-friendly classroomLeverage AI as a time-saving helpmate to create intervention plans and materials, so that educators can focus more on working with studentsPRACTICAL MATERIALS: Gather critical information for supporting students with the included photocopiable tools: a General Preferences Inventory, Communication Profile, Spoken Vocabulary Inventory, Autism Language Program Concept Inventory, and more.