Non-Verbal Communication

Communication through means other than spoken or written words, including facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, body posture, touch, tone of voice, and spatial behavior. Non-verbal communication conveys emotions, attitudes, and social signals that complement, modify, or substitute for verbal messages. For AAC users, non-verbal communication channels become especially important as they provide immediate, low-effort ways to express engagement, emotions, and backchanneling cues that would be too slow to produce through their devices. AAC users develop rich repertoires of non-verbal signals including eyebrow raises, chair movements, and vocalizations.