The core mission of the Ukrainian AAC Community NGO is to generate measurable social impact by advancing research, policy, and practice in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Since 2018, the Community has played a pioneering role in adapting leading international AAC standards, methodologies, and evidence-based practices to the Ukrainian language, culture, and educational system—helping build the first coordinated national AAC ecosystem in Ukraine.
The Community’s impact extends beyond research translation. It has united professionals, AAC users, families, NGOs, educators, therapists, and policymakers across Ukraine, creating a national platform that has expanded access to communication supports for children and adults with autism, cerebral palsy, aphasia, developmental disabilities, and other complex communication needs. Through training programs, methodological guidance, public advocacy, and practical tools, the organization has directly strengthened inclusion and autonomy for thousands of individuals who previously faced severe communication barriers.
Partnership
Ukrainian AAC Community actively cooperates with international leaders in AAC for communication assistance.
ISAAC – the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.
It is a membership organization working to improve the lives of children and adults with complex communication needs. We cooperate closely with the Polish branch of Isaac – ISAAC Polska. Founded in 1999 as a national AAC association, the organization became an ISAAC chapter in 2017. The ISAAC Polska President Aldona Mysakowska-Adamczyk delivered training for Ukrainian parents and specialists in AAC in early intervention. The Head of AAC Community in Ukraine Oksana Kryvonogova is a member of ISAAC.
Ezer Mizion Israel National AAC Lending Center and Communication Assessment and Intervention Unit
Yonit Hagoel-Karnieli, Speech and Language Pathologist, MSc, is a certified SLT (speech and language therapist) and a leading communication clinician specializing in AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) and AT (Assistive Technology). She serves as the Director of the Ezer Mizion Israel National AAC Lending Center and Communication Assessment and Intervention Unit. She is a leading consultant for AAC and AT care at hospitals, medical centers, and clinics throughout the country. In June 2022 Mrs. Hagoel-Karnieli
presented the AAC system in Israel to the Community at a webinar “Giving a voice to those who cannot speak.” Please see the recording below.
METC “Mashav” Educational Training Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , Israel .
MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.
In 2022 representatives of METC “Mashav” Educational Training Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , Israel in collaboration with The Special Education Division and The Psychologist Emergency and Prevention Unit “SHEFI’, of the Ministry of Education, Israel held a free webinar for the Community on AAC in emergencies. The lecturers are experts in the field of assistive technologies for communication with extensive experience in emergencies.
- Supporting children and adolescents with speech impairments to stay safe during war or evacuation.
- Tools and principles of providing an educational and therapeutic response in emergencies.
- Relief activities for children using AAC tools.
- Different approaches to communication support in emergencies vary depending on the type of disability.
Research of the Ukrainian AAC Community
In 2022 Hanna Usatenko, community co-founder, presented research findings in communication development in preschoolers related to the use of Ukrainian symbols developed by DyvoGra.
Hanna Usatenko: Usage of symbolic images for diagnostics of communication skills in children with autism and severe speech disorders. Please download a paper below.
Events
Sept 2024 – Dr. Hanna Usatenko translates and adapts to the Ukrainian language the Family Impact of Assistive Technology Scale for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (FIATS-AAC), short form of 38 questions, which is a parent-report questionnaire designed to detect functional change associated with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions for children and youth, ages 3 to 18 years, and their families.
Original FIATS AAC page (Canada)
Usatenko, H. (2024). Adaptation And Validation Of The Family Impact Of Assistive Technology Scale For Augmentative And Alternative Communication, The Short Form FIATS-AAC 38. Scientific Notes of the University KROK, 3(75), 246–253. https://doi.org/10.31732/2663-2209-2024-75-246-253
Nov 2022 – Hanna Usatenko, AAC Community co-founder, represents Ukrainian experience in AAC in emergencies at AAC2022 organized by ASSIST – Assistive Technologies in Bulgaria. The topic is “AAC during the lifespan in war and crisis. Ukrainian experience.”
Jul 2023 – Oksana Kryvonogova, Community Leader, presents Ukrainian AAC practices in early development at ISAAC Conference Cancún
If you would like to support the Community, share any materials or experience in AAC with our members or invite us to present our AAC research and practical experience in Ukraine, please contact Dr. Hanna Usatenko, AAC Community co-founder, hanna.usatenko@dyvogra.com