Many people turn to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) when they lose­—or never have—their voice or ability to speak. But today’s guests say AAC should not be viewed only as a last resort.

Autistic advocate endever* corbin (who uses lower-case letters and an asterisk as part of their name) and SLP Amy Donaldson are supporting access for all autistic people—some of whom may choose to use AAC even when communicating orally is an option.

They explain how choosing to use speech and AAC can help autistic people fight burnout and boost self-advocacy.