⊂ fishe ╱ coral ⊃

[PT: A guide to making AAC symbols, for emoji artists. End PT]

Making symbols for AAC is not as easy as adding the AAC symbols tag to one of your normal emojis. Here are some things to keep in mind when creating AAC symbols.

AAC symbols should be representative, not abstract. [PT: AAc symbols should be representative, not abstract.]

An AAC symbol is usually used by an AAC user to distinguish the button they want from the other buttons on the page. Most AAC users scan in some form, and many look for the symbols and not the button's label, meaning that an AAC symbol should in some way be a visual symbol for the concept. This means that wordmojis do not typically work as AAC symbols.

2. The symbols are typically seen only by the user and not who they are speaking with. [PT: The symbols are typically seen only by the user and not who they are speaking with.]

In a Discord emoji, both the person communicating and who they are communicating with see the emoji. With high-tech AAC, typically only the AAC user sees the symbol, with the people they're talking with audibly hearing the words instead. There are some exceptions, such as light tech AAC or situations where an AAC user is showing their screen to who they are talking with, but they are generally exceptions.

3. Avoid low contrast. [PT: Avoid low contrast.]

An AAC symbol on a button is generally very small, and it is usually one of many buttons on a page, and it is usually on a coloured backdrop. Furthermore, there are many AAC users who are blind or low vision. Having high contrast on your symbols, such as by making the lineart much darker than the filling, makes your symbol easier to see and makes the details easier to notice.

4. High levels of detail usually disappear on an AAC board. [PT: High levels of detail usually disappear on an AAC board.]

Because buttons are small and there are usually many buttons on a page, high levels of detail tend to be very hard to notice when a symbol is on a button. Furthermore, lots of detail can make a symbol visually busy and thus potentially overwhelming for an AAC user.

5. Many AAC users dislike words on their symbols. [PT: Many AAC users dislike words on their symbols.]

Most AAC users have words on the button label already. For some, this means that having words on the symbol as well is redundant, overwhelming, or annoying. If you put words on your symbols, it is best to also provide a version without words for those who prefer that.

*deep breath out*

Let AAC users say fuck!

Let them swear, let them say fuck and asshole and anything else they want.

Let them program their devices to say ‘fuck off’ instead of just ‘leave me alone, please’. Let them have language that’s adult or even offensive! Give them the ability to communicate the same as anyone else- let them have the option to be abrasive and even rude for when people are being assholes, let them swear casually so they can joke with their peers and say shit like ‘can you pass the damn ketchup’!!!!!!!!