Choosing the Right AAC Application: Pre-stored Messages & Generative Language

On our AAC applications we have the choice of using single words for creative message generation and the use of complete phrases for quick communication. Generative language is the term we use to describe a person putting individual words together and adding word endings to say a novel sentence of their own. Pre-stored message are those messages, typically complete phrases or sentences, which require the person using AAC to simply access one button to speak an entire message.This decision has a lot of nuances which we will explore in our short session. We are considering the question, is AAC more important for immediate participation in our environment or to allow our student to develop language skills to allow autonomous, unlimited communication over time? Do we have to choose or is a little of both our best solution?