Child attributes and levels including brief descriptions
| Child attributes and levels | Description* |
| Receptive and expressive language (1) | Child’s ability without AAC to understand communication from others (receptive) and communicate with others (expressive). |
| Delayed† | Both receptive and expressive abilities below expectation given child’s age. |
| Receptive language exceeding expressive language | Ability to understand communication from others greater than ability to communicate with others. |
| Communication ability with AAC (3) | How well a child can communicate when using AAC. |
| No previous AAC experience† | Has never communicated using AAC before. |
| Able to use AAC for a few communicative functions | Can use AAC for some basic functions (eg, simple requests). |
| Able to use AAC for a range of communicative functions | Can use AAC for more complex tasks, for example, constructing sentences. |
| Child’s determination and persistence (4) | Attitude of child towards communication and using AAC. |
| Does not appear motivated to communicate through any methods and means† | Child is not inclined to develop communication skills. |
| Motivated to communicate through symbol communication systems | Child has demonstrated motivation and willingness to use AAC. |
| Only motivated to communicate through methods other than symbol communication | Child may be motivated to communicate, but is not inclined to use AAC. |
| Predicted future skills and abilities (6) | Professional assessment of how child’s communication abilities will develop. |
| Regression† | Abilities projected to become worse in future (eg, due to a degenerative condition such as Rett syndrome). |
| Plateau | Abilities will not change significantly in future (eg, a child aged 16–17). |
| Progression | Communication abilities will develop in future. |
*Descriptions are not intended as rigorous definitions of AAC terminology, but as a rough guide for the non-AAC specialist reader.
†Indicates baseline level; numbers in parentheses indicate attributes’ rank in relative importance from Webb et al.45
AAC, augmentative and alternative communication.