AAC On The Beach

AAC On The Beach was founded in 2023 by speech-language pathology graduate student Nicolette Contella. Being a Junior Lifeguard Director, beach lover, and a speech-language pathology graduate student, Nicolette knew there was a need to make communication accessible for all, even on the beach. Lifeguards communicate with individuals every day, but what happens if the individual cannot communicate with verbal speech? Training for lifeguards typically includes both theoretical and practical components. Theoretical training may cover water safety, emergency response procedures, and CPR, while practical training may involve physical fitness tests, swimming tests, and simulation exercises. Typically, no training is provided on working with individuals who must communicate verbally. This is where AAC On The Beach comes in. AAC stands for "augmentative and alternative communication," which refers to a set of methods and tools to assist individuals with communication difficulties. This may include people with speech impairments, language disorders, or other disabilities affecting their communication ability. This can impact anyone across the lifespan. AAC can include a range of approaches, from simple gestures and facial expressions to high-tech devices that use speech synthesis or text-to-speech software. The goal of AAC is to provide individuals with a means of expressing themselves and engaging in social interaction, even if they cannot use traditional verbal communication.