If your family speaks more than one language at home, you've probably been told to "just pick one" when it comes to AAC. Maybe a well-meaning therapist said that two languages will confuse your child. Maybe you were advised to drop your home language and focus only on English because "that's what the device uses."
This advice is not supported by research. In fact, it can cause real harm.
Bilingual families deserve bilingual AAC. Here's why, and here's how to make it work.
The Myth: Two Languages Will Confuse AAC Users
The concern sounds reasonable on the surface. AAC is already hard to learn. Adding a second language seems like it would double the difficulty. So why not simplify things and stick to one? This is just one of many common myths about AAC that aren't supported by evidence.
But language development doesn't work that way, for any child, with or without a communication disability. Decades of research on bilingualism in children with disabilities consistently shows that exposure to two languages does not harm language development and often benefits it.
What the research says
Kohnert (2010) reviewed the evidence on bilingualism in children with primary developmental disabilities (including intellectual disability and autism) and found no support for the idea that dual language exposure causes confusion or delays. She argued that recommending monolingualism for these children is not evidence-based and can have significant social and emotional costs.
Soto and Yu (2014) studied bilingual children who use AAC and found that these children could and did develop skills in both languages. Their research emphasized that restricting a child to one language limits their ability to participate fully in their family and community.
Kay-Raining Bird, Genesee, and Verhoeven (2016) reviewed the broader literature on bilingualism and developmental disabilities and reached a similar conclusion: there is no evidence that bilingualism is harmful for children with language impairments. The recommendation to drop a language is based on assumption, not data.
Pena, Bedore, and Kester (2016) examined assessment methods for identifying language impairment in bilingual children and found that semantic tasks could accurately classify bilingual children as having or not having language impairment. Their work reinforced that bilingualism itself is not a cause of language disorder and that appropriate assessment tools can distinguish the two.
Why Monolingual AAC Harms Bilingual Families
When a bilingual family is told to use only English on the AAC device, several things happen. None of them are good.
The child loses access to family communication
Grandma speaks Tagalog. Dad speaks mostly Spanish at home. Cousins communicate in Arabic. If the child's AAC system only has English, they can't participate in these relationships. They're cut off from the people who matter most.
Language is not just about words. It's about connection, identity, and belonging. Taking away a child's home language is taking away a piece of their family.
The family stops communicating naturally
When parents are told to speak only English around their AAC-using child, communication often becomes stiff and limited. Parents may not be fluent in English. They may use simpler language than they would in their home language. The result is that the child gets less language input overall, not more.
Research by Kohnert and Derr (2004) found that the quantity and quality of language input is what matters most for development. Asking parents to communicate in their weaker language reduces both.
Cultural identity is undermined
Language carries culture. Songs, stories, humor, terms of endearment, expressions that only make sense in the original language. When a child loses access to their home language, they lose access to these cultural touchpoints. This is an especially heavy loss for a child who already faces barriers to social participation.
How to Set Up Bilingual AAC
Option 1: Dual-language boards
Create communication boards that include both languages. Each symbol can display the word in both languages (for example, "water / agua" or "eat / manger"). This allows any communication partner to model in either language and helps the child associate the symbol with both words.
Option 2: Language-specific pages
Set up separate pages or sections for each language. The home page might be in English for school contexts, with a clearly labeled button to switch to the home language. This mirrors how many bilingual speakers code-switch depending on context.
Option 3: Context-based switching
Use English boards for school and therapy settings, and home language boards for family time. The child learns to associate each language with its context, which is exactly what bilingual speakers do naturally.
Tips for any approach
Include culturally specific vocabulary. Don't just translate English words. Add foods, activities, greetings, and expressions that are specific to the family's culture. "Merienda" is not just a translation of "snack." It carries cultural meaning.
Let family members record voice output in their language. If the AAC app supports recorded speech, have family members record words and phrases. Hearing abuela's voice say "te quiero" is different from hearing a synthesized English voice say "I love you."
Keep both languages active. Don't set up the home language and then forget about it. Model in both languages regularly, using aided language stimulation techniques in each language. If the device has Spanish boards but nobody ever uses them, the child gets the message that Spanish doesn't matter.
Work with a bilingual SLP when possible. A speech-language pathologist who speaks the family's home language and understands bilingual development can help with vocabulary selection, language modeling strategies, and cultural considerations. If a bilingual SLP isn't available, any SLP can collaborate with the family to build a bilingual system.
Common Concerns and Honest Answers
"Won't it take longer to learn two sets of words?"
Learning may take somewhat longer than learning one language, but this is true for all bilingual children, not just AAC users. The small additional time is far outweighed by the benefits of being able to communicate with their entire family and community.
"Our SLP only speaks English."
That's okay. The SLP can still support bilingual AAC by:
- Working with family members to identify vocabulary in the home language
- Teaching modeling strategies that the family can apply in their language
- Helping set up the device with both languages
The SLP doesn't need to speak the home language. They need to respect it and include it in the plan.
"The AAC app we use doesn't support our language."
This is a real barrier. Not all apps support all languages. When choosing the right AAC app for a bilingual family, look for:
- Multiple language options for text-to-speech
- The ability to add custom labels in any language
- Support for non-Latin scripts if needed
- Easy switching between language sets
SabiKo currently supports 5 languages, making it one of the more accessible options for multilingual families. You can set up boards in different languages and switch between them easily.
"My child's school only uses English."
That's fine. Bilingual AAC doesn't mean using both languages everywhere. English boards for school, home language boards for home. The child learns to code-switch, just like every other bilingual person does.
What the AAC Community Is Getting Right (and Wrong)
The AAC field has made progress on bilingual issues, but there's still work to do. Many AAC apps are still English-first. Many assessment tools don't account for bilingual development. And many families still receive the harmful advice to drop their home language.
Progress is happening. Researchers like Soto, Yu, Kohnert, and others have been advocating for bilingual AAC for years. Professional organizations including ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) now state clearly that bilingualism is not a contraindication for AAC.
But the gap between research and practice remains wide. If you're a bilingual family using AAC, you may need to advocate for your right to use both languages. The evidence is on your side.
The Bottom Line
Your home language is not a barrier to AAC success. It's an asset. It connects your child to their family, their culture, and their identity. Research consistently shows that bilingual AAC users can develop skills in both languages, and that restricting a child to one language causes more harm than good.
Don't let anyone tell you to give up your language. Set up the device in both languages. Model in both languages. And trust that your child can handle it, because the research says they can.
Download SabiKo free to get started with multilingual AAC. It supports 5 languages out of the box and lets you customize boards in any language.
References
- Kohnert, K. (2010). Bilingual children with primary language impairment: Issues, evidence and implications for clinical actions. Journal of Communication Disorders, 43(6), 456-473.
- Soto, G., & Yu, B. (2014). Considerations for the provision of services to bilingual children who use augmentative and alternative communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 30(1), 83-92.
- Kay-Raining Bird, E., Genesee, F., & Verhoeven, L. (2016). Bilingualism in children with developmental disorders: A narrative review. Journal of Communication Disorders, 63, 1-14.
- Pena, E.D., Bedore, L.M., & Kester, E.S. (2016). Assessment of language impairment in bilingual children using semantic tasks. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 51(2), 192-202.
- Kohnert, K., & Derr, A. (2004). Language intervention with bilingual children. In B. Goldstein (Ed.), Bilingual Language Development and Disorders in Spanish-English Speakers. Brookes Publishing.