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Communication guide

AAC Devices in Ontario: Types, Cost and Funding

Understand communication options, prepare better questions for an assessment, and find the funding route that fits your family.

Comparing picture cards with a speech device? See AAC vs PECS.

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Date:

Direct answer

AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication. It is a set of communication supports that can include gestures, picture systems, and speech-generating devices. PECS is one low-tech approach. A qualified communication assessment can help a family compare options.

Ontario ADP, Communication aids (updated February 18, 2026) · Millar, Light & Schlosser (2006), Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research · Verified 2026-08-10

About This Article

Last updated:

Written by

Founder & Autism Advocate

Parent of autistic child navigating OAP system

In brief

Quick answer

  • AAC is a set of communication supports. It can include gestures, picture systems, and speech-generating devices.
  • PECS is one low-tech approach. A qualified communication assessment can help a family compare options.
  • Ask funding programs and providers for their current eligibility, process, and complete written costs.

General information only, not a diagnosis, treatment plan, crisis service, or individual estimate. Confirm your next step with the linked source or a qualified professional.

Understanding AAC

What is AAC? What does AAC stand for?

AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication. It refers to all communication methods used to supplement or replace spoken language. The word “augmentative” means adding to existing speech. The word “alternative” means providing a different means of communication. Most AAC users use a combination of methods at the same time.

AAC is used by many nonspeaking and minimally speaking autistic children. Read more on our nonspeaking autism page, or see how PECS compares in AAC vs PECS: what's the difference.

Types of AAC: no-tech, low-tech, mid-tech, and high-tech

Every AAC option below, from a picture card to a speech-generating device, maps to at least one funding route a family can ask about in Ontario.

No-Tech AAC

No Technology

Gestures, sign language, body language, and facial expressions. Always available and never needs a battery. A partner who knows the signs is needed.

Low-Tech AAC

Low Technology

Picture boards, communication books, PECS cards, AAC flip books, and alphabet boards. No battery, easy to carry, and usually low cost.

Mid-Tech AAC

Mid Technology

Simple battery-powered devices with pre-recorded messages. Useful for specific routines or high-use places.

High-Tech AAC

High Technology

Tablet apps and speech-generating devices with screens, spoken output, and large vocabularies. They need charging, setup, and training for the child and partners.

ADP (Assistive Devices Program)

Ontario Ministry of Health. Communication aids page, updated February 18, 2026

ADP pays 75% of the ADP price and you pay 25%. People who receive Ontario Works, ODSP, or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities can get 100% coverage. ADP sets the price a registered business can charge.

  1. 1.Your family doctor or nurse practitioner examines your child and refers you to an ADP-registered speech-language pathologist (SLP) or occupational therapist
  2. 2.The SLP or OT examines your child. For an advanced aid, they refer you to an ADP-registered communications clinic
  3. 3.An ADP-registered business helps complete the form and submits it to ADP
  4. 4.ADP aims to review within 8 weeks. Wait for approval before you buy

OAP (Ontario Autism Program)

Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Expense list for childhood budgets and interim one-time funding, updated March 10, 2026

The expense list names augmentative communication devices, a touch-screen tablet and software, and speech and language therapy, which can include assessments. It does not name AAC training.

  1. 1.Register for the Ontario Autism Program if you have not
  2. 2.Ask OAP which funding your child has and whether this expense list applies
  3. 3.Confirm any purchase with OAP in writing before you buy
  4. 4.Reported wait context: 5+ years for families registered in August 2021 (community-reported, Ontario Autism Coalition, July 2026). An active Core Funding Agreement does not mean a child is receiving services

School board

Your child’s school board

Set by the board. Ask what equipment is available for school use.

  1. 1.Ask the school team, in writing, for an assessment of your child’s communication needs
  2. 2.Ask what equipment the board can provide for school use
  3. 3.Ask whether a device can go home, and who looks after it
  4. 4.Ask how staff will be trained to support your child’s AAC use

Private insurance and charities

Your insurer or a charity

Depends on the plan or the charity. Ask before you buy.

  1. 1.Ask your insurer, in writing, whether an AAC assessment or device is covered
  2. 2.Ask what paperwork the insurer needs from the SLP
  3. 3.Ask your SLP whether a charity in your area can help with your share

Who pays for AAC in Ontario? ADP, OAP, school boards, and insurance

Compare the funding routes, then confirm current requirements with each program. Programs described here are Ontario's. Readers in another province or country should check their own programs. Funding questions have their own answer: does OAP fund AAC devices.

Funding routes, amounts, application steps, and sources

AAC funding paths and application steps. Official pages read October 13, 2026.
ProgramFunding descriptionStepsSource
ADP (Assistive Devices Program)ADP pays 75% of the ADP price and you pay 25%. People who receive Ontario Works, ODSP, or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities can get 100% coverage. ADP sets the price a registered business can charge.
  1. Your family doctor or nurse practitioner examines your child and refers you to an ADP-registered speech-language pathologist (SLP) or occupational therapist
  2. The SLP or OT examines your child. For an advanced aid, they refer you to an ADP-registered communications clinic
  3. An ADP-registered business helps complete the form and submits it to ADP
  4. ADP aims to review within 8 weeks. Wait for approval before you buy
Ontario Ministry of Health. Communication aids page, updated February 18, 2026
OAP (Ontario Autism Program)The expense list names augmentative communication devices, a touch-screen tablet and software, and speech and language therapy, which can include assessments. It does not name AAC training.
  1. Register for the Ontario Autism Program if you have not
  2. Ask OAP which funding your child has and whether this expense list applies
  3. Confirm any purchase with OAP in writing before you buy
  4. Reported wait context: 5+ years for families registered in August 2021 (community-reported, Ontario Autism Coalition, July 2026). An active Core Funding Agreement does not mean a child is receiving services
Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Expense list for childhood budgets and interim one-time funding, updated March 10, 2026
School boardSet by the board. Ask what equipment is available for school use.
  1. Ask the school team, in writing, for an assessment of your child’s communication needs
  2. Ask what equipment the board can provide for school use
  3. Ask whether a device can go home, and who looks after it
  4. Ask how staff will be trained to support your child’s AAC use
Your child’s school board
Private insurance and charitiesDepends on the plan or the charity. Ask before you buy.
  1. Ask your insurer, in writing, whether an AAC assessment or device is covered
  2. Ask what paperwork the insurer needs from the SLP
  3. Ask your SLP whether a charity in your area can help with your share
Your insurer or a charity
PECS & Low-Tech

No-tech and low-tech AAC

PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) is a low-tech AAC method developed by Andy Bondy and Lori Frost in 1985. It has six phases. A child learns to give a picture of a wanted item to a partner, and later phases teach sentences, answering questions, and commenting (Pyramid Educational Consultants, read October 13, 2026). A 2010 meta-analysis called PECS promising but not yet established as an evidence-based approach (Flippin et al.).

Sign language is another no-tech AAC option. It needs no equipment, but the people around the child need to know the signs too.

PECS cards and books

No battery, easy to carry, and usually low cost. The partner has to be close by and respond to each card.

Communication boards and core boards

A fixed page of common words that a child points to. Neither a board nor a card book speaks aloud.

A backup when a device is not available

Low-tech AAC still works when a device is flat, broken, or not allowed in a place, so keep it on hand as a backup.

See AAC vs PECS for a side-by-side table and when low-tech or high-tech AAC tends to fit.

High-Tech Devices

High-tech AAC: tablet apps and speech-generating devices

High-tech speech-generating devices (SGDs) produce spoken output and can hold many more words than a card book. ADP's list of covered aids includes speech generating devices, assistive technology software and hardware for them, and mounting systems.

App or dedicated device? An app runs on a general tablet. A dedicated device is built only for communication. Ask your speech-language pathologist and an ADP-registered business which option fits your child and which is approved.

Tablet with an AAC app

A tablet running an AAC app shows symbols or letters and speaks them aloud. ADP lists software and hardware for speech generating devices among the aids it helps cover, so ask which setup is approved for your child.

Dedicated speech-generating devices

Purpose-built devices made for communication, often with a sturdy case, a loud speaker, and mounting options. ADP sets the price a registered business can charge for approved devices.

Eye-gaze devices

For people who cannot reliably use a touch screen, eye-gaze systems let a person pick symbols by looking at them. An assessment decides whether this access method fits.

Cost

How much does an AAC device cost in Ontario?

There is no single price. AAC device cost depends on whether you choose a tablet app or a dedicated speech-generating device, and on mounts, cases, and access tools such as a switch or an eye-gaze system. It also depends on the setup and training your child needs. We do not print prices here because they change and differ by product.

For approved communication aids, ADP sets the price that registered businesses can charge, and a registered business cannot charge you more than the ADP price for the approved device. ADP pays 75% of that price and you pay the other 25%, plus any options you choose to add. People who receive Ontario Works, the Ontario Disability Support Program, or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities can get 100% coverage (ADP Communication aids page, updated February 18, 2026, read October 13, 2026).

Ask the business for the full written cost before you agree, including your share and any options. If you order or buy before the ADP steps are done, you pay the full cost. ADP-registered businesses are listed on the ADP Communication aids page.

Getting started

How to get an AAC device: assessment to application

These steps follow the order on the ADP Communication aids page (updated February 18, 2026, read October 13, 2026). For a longer walk-through, see AAC devices for nonspeaking autistic children in Ontario.

  1. A first-time applicant is examined by a family doctor or nurse practitioner, who decides whether a communication aid is needed for everyday tasks because of a long-term disability.
  2. The doctor or nurse practitioner refers you to a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist registered with ADP. They examine your child and advise on equipment.
  3. For an advanced aid, such as a high-tech speech generating device, they refer you to a communications clinic registered with ADP.
  4. Find a business that sells communication aids and is registered with ADP. Staff help you confirm the aid and fill in their part of the form.
  5. The registered business submits the completed form to ADP electronically. ADP aims to review it within 8 weeks. Wait for approval before you buy.

AAC for toddlers and preschoolers

ADP's list of who qualifies names Ontario residency, a valid health card, and conditions about speech and writing. It does not name an age. A speech-language pathologist can tell you whether and how to start AAC with a toddler or preschooler. Low-tech AAC, such as picture cards, does not depend on funding approval.

Speech-Language Pathology

The SLP's Role in AAC

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) is the professional who assesses AAC and helps put it in place. For a first ADP application, ADP requires an examination by an SLP or occupational therapist registered with ADP.

What SLPs Assess
  • Current communication abilities and methods
  • Language comprehension and expression levels
  • Motor skills needed for device access
  • Cognitive and literacy skills
  • Environmental and social communication needs
  • Family goals and daily routine requirements
How to Access an SLP
  • Ask your family doctor or nurse practitioner for a referral
  • Ask your child's school team about speech-language services at school
  • Search the CASLPO public register for a regulated SLP
  • Ask OAP whether its expense list, which includes speech and language therapy, applies to your child
  • Hire privately. The family pays, so get the fee in writing before you start

Our verified provider directory lists only providers we have checked. You can start AAC before OAP core funding starts: low-tech tools and a private assessment do not need a funding invitation.

Important: AAC Training Is Ongoing

Getting a device is only the first step. The child and the people around them need practice using it. Plan for ongoing SLP support, and ask your child's school team how staff will be trained on any device before it arrives in the classroom.

Evidence Base

AAC and Speech Development: What the Research Says

A common worry is that AAC will stop a child from speaking. Here is what two published reviews found, and what they left open.

In a 2006 review, none of 27 well-controlled cases lost speech after AAC. 89% gained some speech, mostly modest gains, and 11% showed no change. Most participants were taught manual signs or non-electronic aided systems.

Source: Millar, Light & Schlosser (2006), Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49(2)

The same review found that 17 of its 23 studies did not establish experimental control, so certainty is limited. The authors called for more research.

Source: Millar, Light & Schlosser (2006), Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49(2)

A 2010 meta-analysis of PECS found small to moderate gains in communication and called PECS promising but not yet established. Gains in speech were small to negative.

Source: Flippin, Reszka & Watson (2010), American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 19(2)

Ontario AAC Resources and Apps

Tools and organizations supporting AAC for autism families across Ontario.

AAC apps and device makers named on this site

Apps

  • Proloquo2Go
  • TouchChat
  • LAMP Words for Life
  • Snap Core First

Dedicated device makers

  • Tobii Dynavox
  • PRC-Saltillo

This list is not a ranking or an endorsement. Check each maker's own page for platforms, price, and any free trial, and ask your SLP what fits your child.

Ontario AAC Organizations

  • ISAAC Canada

    The Canadian chapter of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

  • CASLPO

    College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario. The public register lists regulated SLPs in the province.

  • Autism Ontario

    Local chapters list community supports. Ask what AAC help is available near you.

  • Ontario ADP Program

    Help paying for approved communication aids through the Ontario Ministry of Health. ADP pays 75% of the ADP price. A registered clinician and business start the application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Start with your family doctor or nurse practitioner. For a first ADP application, they refer you to a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist registered with ADP, who may refer you on to an ADP communications clinic. An ADP-registered business then submits the form. Ontario’s OAP expense list and your school board may also help, so ask each in writing.

AAC stands for augmentative and alternative communication. It covers every way of communicating beyond speech or instead of it, from gestures and signs to picture cards and speech-generating devices. PECS is one low-tech example. Our AAC vs PECS page explains how it differs from a speech device.

ADP says it aims to review an application within 8 weeks of receiving it (Communication Aids page, updated February 18, 2026). That is a target, not a promise. Do not order a device until the ADP steps are done, or you may pay the full cost.

There is no single price. Cost depends on an app or a dedicated device, plus mounts, cases, and access tools. ADP sets the price a registered business can charge for approved aids and pays 75% of it. You pay the other 25% and any options you add, unless you get Ontario Works, ODSP, or Assistance for Children with Severe Disabilities.

There is no one start age. ADP’s list of who qualifies names residency, a valid health card, and speech and writing conditions, not an age. A 2006 research review found no drop in speech after AAC in its best-controlled studies. Ask a speech-language pathologist how to begin, since low-tech AAC can start now.

Official sources read for this page

OAP Funding Guide

Verified references and sources

Official Government Sources

  • [2016]
    A Better Way Forward: Ontario's 3-Year Anti-Racism Strategic Plan — Autism as a Disability Rights Issue
    Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) • Government • 2016-03-01
    View

FOI Records

  • [2026]
    Ontario Autism Program figures as of May 13, 2026 (MCCSS, released under Freedom of Information to the Ontario Autism Coalition; published in the OAC "OAP At A Glance" update, July 2026)
    Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (Ontario), obtained by the Ontario Autism Coalition • FOI record • 2026-05-13
    View

Where the waitlist stands

Families navigating autism services in Ontario face a documented multi-year wait. Here is the Ontario data — and a two-minute way to push back, when you are ready.

See where the waitlist standsEmail your MPP

Related guides

Guides and tools related to this page.

Claims and sources from this page(3)

What does the WHO say about early autism intervention timing?

The WHO Fact Sheet on Autism Spectrum Disorders (updated Sept. 17, 2025) states that timely access to early evidence-based psychosocial interventions can improve the ability of autistic children to communicate effectively and interact socially. Dawson et al. (2010, Pediatrics; PMID 19948568) confirmed in an RCT that ESDM (Early Start Denver Model) at 18–30 months produced significant developmental gains. Pending verification: Editorial review not recorded. Excluded from citation-ready exports.

Source: WHO Fact Sheet: Autism Spectrum Disorders (updated Sept. 17, 2025); Dawson et al., Pediatrics 2010 (PMID 19948568) · Open source record

What autism services are available in Ontario while waiting for OAP?

While waiting for OAP Core Clinical Services, families can access: Foundational Family Services (free, no waitlist), school-based IEP supports, Preschool Speech and Language programs, EarlyON Child and Family Centres, private therapy (if financially able), and DSO registration for transition planning. Pending verification: Editorial review not recorded. Excluded from citation-ready exports.

Source: Ontario Autism Program · Open source record

What free autism resources are available in Ontario?

Free autism resources in Ontario include: EarlyON Child and Family Centres (drop-in), Preschool Speech and Language (assessment/therapy), OAP Caregiver Workshops (training), and Foundational Family Services. These are available without the main OAP waitlist but do not replace intensive clinical therapy. Pending verification: Editorial review not recorded. Excluded from citation-ready exports.

Source: Ontario.ca · Open source record

Sources on this page

The source chain stays visible.

Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.

Facts3
Sources2

1 in 50

According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about 1 in 50 children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis

Primary sourcePublic Health Agency of Canada (2024)Verified 2024-03-26

22.5%

Only 20,711 children have active funding agreements (22.5%), less than one in four

Primary sourceMCCSS FOI via OAC · May 2026Verified 2026-08-10
Last system verification: 2026-08-10. Next scheduled update: 2026-11-05.
View methodologyBrowse every source

About this page

Check the author’s context, review method, and how to report an error.

Written by

Founder & Autism Advocate

Lived experience: Parent of autistic child navigating OAP system