Course Level: Intermediate.

Course Runtime: 1 hour.

Course Format: e-learning – text and video.

This course is a video recording of a conference talk from Smartbox’s 24 Hours of AAC virtual conference held on 6–7 May 2026.

Description

This conference talk explores the role of taboo language, profanity, slang, sexuality, and sexual health vocabulary within AAC. It examines research on the development and use of taboo language across the lifespan and consider how access to this vocabulary supports communicative competence, social closeness, emotional expression, self-advocacy, and safeguarding.

The course also discusses common barriers to vocabulary access, age-related vocabulary selection, and practical implementation strategies for supporting AAC users to learn and use explicit language appropriately. Examples from Smartbox grid vocabularies are used to illustrate how taboo and sensitive vocabulary can be incorporated into AAC systems, although the principles discussed are applicable across AAC platforms.

This talk is an intermediate course, suitable for anyone with basic understanding of AAC.

Course outline

This session covers:

• Defining Terms and Research Review: Understanding taboo language, profanity, slang, and the evidence supporting vocabulary access. 
• Development of Profanity: Exploring how taboo language develops and is used across the lifespan. 
• Why is this Important for AAC?: Examining the role of taboo language in communication, participation, self-expression, and communicative competence. 
• Vocabulary Selection: Identifying age-appropriate taboo, slang, sexuality, and sexual health vocabulary for AAC users. 
•  Implementation Considerations: Discussing practical strategies for teaching and supporting the use of taboo language, including etiquette and self-advocacy. 
• Availability and Access: Reviewing examples of incorporating taboo and explicit vocabulary within AAC systems.

Content disclosure: This course may use examples predominantly from Smartbox Products, other products will be included in a limited format.

Learner outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Discuss at least 5 ways the use of taboo language contributes to communicative competence, social closeness and emotional expression.
• Recommend 3 or more examples of taboo words/concepts to include in AAC systems/devices for each life-stage, with suggested vocabulary location within the system.
• Describe at least 2 strategies to support learning/use of taboo words/concepts in AAC implementation.

Completion requirements: You must complete all course content including reading all text and watching all video content. This course is assessed via a multiple-choice, five-question knowledge check at the end of the course. The pass score is 80%. You can take the knowledge check multiple times.

Instructor bios

Daisy Clay | SLT, Head of Content at Smartbox.

View full instructor bios.

Hali Strickler | MA CCC-SLP.

Hali Strickler (she/her) is an AAC Services Coordinator at the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University and a clinical adjunct instructor for Temple's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She is an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist specializing in AAC, with previous experience in public schools and adult community-based settings. Hali received the 2023 Joy Zabala Spirit Award and has presented nationally and internationally on AAC, including expanded vocabulary access for profanity and sexual health. She is passionate about communication autonomy and ensuring AAC users have access to vocabulary that supports self-expression, participation, and self-advocacy.

Disclosures

Financial disclosure: Daisy Clay is an employee of Smartbox Assistive Technology and receives a salary. Hali Strickler is a salaried employee of Temple University which receives grant funding to support her work.

Non-financial: Daisy Clay is a registered member of the RCSLT and HCPC – Daisy created the Super Core vocabulary, and co-developed Voco Chat, which is referenced during this presentation. Hali Stickler is a member of ASHA.