There is no one-size-fits-all setup for school-aged students. The best board depends on the student’s communication level, access needs, daily routines, and educational goals. Below are a few common examples to help teams choose a strong starting point.
Student who is new to AAC #
Recommended starting point: Daily Essentials or Basic Needs
To select this preset: Open Settings and tap Vocabulary
This setup works well for students who are just beginning with AAC and need a simple, usable system for everyday school communication.
Focus areas:
- yes / no
- help
- stop
- bathroom
- break
- snack or lunch
- favorite people
- common classroom requests
Why this setup can work well:
It gives the student access to high-use school words without overwhelming them with too many choices at once.
Student beginning to combine words #
Recommended starting point: Early Sentence Builder
To select this preset: Open Settings and tap Vocabulary
This setup can work well for students who are ready to move beyond single-word communication and begin building short phrases during class and daily routines.
Focus areas:
- I want
- I need
- more
- go
- help
- people
- actions
- classroom items
Why this setup can work well:
It supports early phrase-building while still keeping vocabulary organized and manageable.
Student ready for broader classroom communication #
Recommended starting point: Sentence Builder Bridge or Project Core
To select this preset: Open Settings and tap Vocabulary
This setup may fit students who are ready for more flexible communication across lessons, routines, and social interactions.
Focus areas:
- requests
- comments
- questions
- describing
- people
- places
- actions
- feelings
- classroom participation words
Why this setup can work well:
It gives the student more language options for learning, answering questions, interacting with peers, and participating in the school day.
Student who needs category-based classroom support #
Recommended starting point: Categories
To select this preset: Open Settings and tap Vocabulary
This setup can be useful for students who do well with vocabulary grouped by topic and benefit from clear folder-style organization.
Focus areas:
- people
- places
- school activities
- things
- social language
- classroom topics
Why this setup can work well:
It helps staff and students navigate vocabulary by topic, which can be easier for some learners.
Student with more urgent physical or support needs at school #
Recommended starting point: Urgent Needs or Hospital and Bedside
To select this preset: Open Settings and tap Vocabulary
This setup can support students who need fast access to messages related to pain, body needs, discomfort, help, or personal care during the school day.
Focus areas:
- I need help
- bathroom
- pain
- hungry
- thirsty
- call someone
- something hurts
- personal care needs
Why this setup can work well:
It makes important health and comfort messages quick to access in school or nursing settings.
What to include in a school-aged setup #
No matter which board you start with, many school-aged students benefit from including vocabulary for:
- help
- bathroom
- break
- snack or lunch
- teacher and staff names
- classmates or friends
- common classroom items
- turn-taking
- questions
- feelings
- social words
- favorite activities
- school routines
Helpful tip #
A good school-aged setup should support more than requesting. It should also help the student participate in learning, respond to questions, interact socially, and communicate across the full school day.
