Your AAC user needs you to slow down and give them time to communicate. Exactly how much wait time is required depends on your unique user, but somewhere between 15-60 seconds can be an excellent place to start.
The more complex your AAC user's needs (language processing, motor planning), the more time they may need.
Give them time to:
• consider their thoughts and perspective
• process what was said
• shift attention to and from other thoughts or stimuli in the environment
• think if it's worth the effort to respond
• consider where the needed language is in the AAC system
• formulate a response in their head
• select language on their AAC and play the message
• organize their body to access the AAC system