Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) goals represent some of the highest-stakes objectives on a school SLP's caseload. For students who rely on AAC as their primary means of communication, well-written IEP goals can be transformative — opening doors to academic participation, peer relationships, and self-advocacy. Poor goals, by contrast, can lead to under-utilization of systems, abandonment of devices, and missed developmental windows.
AAC IEP goals must reflect the totality of the student's communication system, not just device operation. They should address vocabulary, symbol discrimination, message length, communication functions (requesting, commenting, questioning, refusing), and participation across environments.
Core Vocabulary Goals
Core vocabulary — high-frequency words that are used across contexts (go, want, more, help, stop, that, I, you, like, not) — forms the foundation of robust AAC communication. Research consistently shows that core vocabulary makes up 80% or more of what people say in daily life. Goals should prioritize functional use of core words, not just location finding.
- Given aided language stimulation modeling and partner prompting, [student] will activate at least 5 distinct core vocabulary symbols on their AAC device to communicate across a variety of functions (request, protest, comment, greet) with 80% accuracy across structured activities as measured by clinician data in 3 of 4 consecutive sessions.
- Given access to their AAC device and minimal verbal prompting, [student] will independently locate and activate 10 targeted core vocabulary symbols within 5 seconds of identifying their communicative intent in 4 of 5 opportunities as measured by clinician probe data in 4 of 5 consecutive sessions.
- Given a familiar activity routine (e.g., snack, play, art), [student] will use core vocabulary to make at least 3 unprompted communicative acts per activity as measured by frequency count data in 3 of 4 consecutive sessions.
Fringe Vocabulary Goals
Fringe vocabulary consists of specific, often person-centered words (names of family members, favorite activities, topics of interest, academic content). While less frequently used than core words, fringe vocabulary gives AAC communication its specificity and personality.
- Given access to their AAC device and a relevant context, [student] will navigate to and activate topic-specific fringe vocabulary related to at least 3 curriculum areas (e.g., science, social studies, preferred activities) with 75% accuracy in structured tasks in 3 of 4 consecutive sessions.
- Given a communication partner, [student] will use fringe vocabulary on their device to provide specific information about personal topics (family, preferences, activities) in 4 of 5 opportunities as measured by communication partner data in 3 of 4 sessions.
PECS Phase Goals
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) provides a structured framework with defined phases that map well onto IEP goals. Goals should clearly specify the current phase and expected progression.
- Given a desired item and a communication partner across the table, [student] will independently exchange a picture card for the corresponding item (PECS Phase I) with 80% accuracy across 10 trials as measured by clinician data in 4 of 5 consecutive sessions.
- Given a desired item and a communication partner in a varied location within the room, [student] will travel to retrieve their communication book, select the correct picture, and exchange it for the item (PECS Phase II) with 80% accuracy in 4 of 5 consecutive sessions.
- Given a sentence strip and desired items, [student] will construct a two-symbol sentence ("I want + item") to request preferred items (PECS Phase III–IV) with 80% accuracy across 10 trials in 3 of 4 consecutive sessions.
Speech Generating Device (SGD) Navigation Goals
For students using high-tech AAC systems, navigating a multi-page device efficiently is a skill in its own right. Goals should address not just accuracy but also speed and independence, both of which affect functional communication in real-time interactions.
- Given a familiar activity and access to their SGD, [student] will independently navigate from the home page to a target category page and activate the correct symbol within 10 seconds in 4 of 5 opportunities as measured by clinician timing data in 4 of 5 consecutive sessions.
- Given a novel communication need, [student] will independently use a search or quick-access strategy on their SGD to locate a target word not on the home page with 75% accuracy in structured tasks in 3 of 4 consecutive sessions.
Aided Language Stimulation (ALgS) Goals
Aided language stimulation is an input-based strategy in which communication partners model AAC use throughout natural interactions. While ALgS is primarily a treatment technique, some teams write goals around the student's response to ALgS modeling as an intermediate step toward independent use.
- Given aided language stimulation modeling by the clinician during a shared activity, [student] will imitate a modeled symbol activation on their AAC device within 5 seconds in at least 50% of opportunities as measured by clinician data in 3 of 4 consecutive sessions.
- Given aided language stimulation across a structured activity, [student] will make at least 2 spontaneous (non-imitative) communicative acts per session using their AAC device as measured by frequency count data in 4 of 5 consecutive sessions.
Symbol Discrimination Goals
Before a student can use symbols functionally, they must be able to discriminate between them reliably. These foundational goals are appropriate for students at the beginning of their AAC journey or those with visual or cognitive processing challenges.
- Given a field of 2–4 symbols, [student] will identify the correct symbol when named by the clinician with 90% accuracy across 20 trials in 4 of 5 consecutive sessions.
- Given a field of 8 symbols on their AAC device, [student] will select the correct symbol for a named vocabulary item with 80% accuracy in 3 of 4 consecutive sessions.
Multi-Symbol Combination Goals
Moving from single-symbol to multi-symbol messages is a critical developmental milestone for AAC users. Multi-symbol combinations dramatically expand expressive range and allow for specificity, attribution, and sentence-level communication.
- Given access to their AAC device and a familiar activity, [student] will combine 2 or more symbols to construct a meaningful message (e.g., agent + action, action + object) in at least 3 opportunities per session as measured by clinician data in 3 of 4 consecutive sessions.
- Given a structured activity, [student] will produce 3-symbol combinations (subject + verb + object or modifier + noun + verb) to describe actions or make specific requests with 75% accuracy in 4 of 5 consecutive sessions.
AAC Goals Across Environments
Device abandonment is one of the most common challenges in school-based AAC programs. One of the most effective ways to prevent it is to write goals that explicitly target use in multiple environments — not just the therapy room — and to involve teachers and paraprofessionals as communication partners who are trained to support (not prompt-over) the student's AAC use.
SLPDesk supports AAC-focused therapy activities with symbol-based task templates, communication function tracking, and session notes designed around aided language stimulation. When you're juggling complex AAC programs alongside a full caseload, having organized documentation in one place makes a real difference.
Always write at least one AAC goal that addresses carry-over: use in the general education classroom, cafeteria, or home. These transfer goals are often where the most meaningful progress happens.