Functional AAC Skills Assessment (FASA)

A comprehensive functional AAC skills assessment designed to evaluate receptive, expressive, and social communication—built specifically for teens and young adults with autism and complex communication needs.

The Functional AAC Skills Assessment (FASA) gives educators and clinicians a clear, actionable picture of what older AAC users can do right now—and exactly what to teach next. Rather than providing vague scores or broad developmental labels, the FASA breaks functional communication into observable, teachable skills that directly translate into meaningful goals and instruction.

The FASA was created to solve persistent problems: learners appearing “stuck” at the same level year after year because existing assessments lack sufficient detail or practical relevance. At the other extreme, many tools are so complex that they require specialized training and abstraction that has little connection to real-world communication.

The FASA was intentionally designed to be practical, growth-focused, and actionable: for every skill you assess the FASA provides a goal.

⭐ WHAT MAKES THE FASA UNIQUE?

✔ Designed Specifically for Teens & Young Adults
The FASA uses age-appropriate, functional skills tied to school, home, community, and vocational routines—ensuring relevance for secondary, transition, and adult programs.

✔ Measures Critical AAC Skill Areas Often Overlooked
The FASA includes comprehensive assessment of:
• Operational competence and access
• Multifunctional AAC device use
• AAC system awareness and meta-skills
• Partner-supported communication
These areas are rarely addressed in depth by other functional or standardized assessments.

✔ Built for Measurable Growth—No More “Stuck” Scores
•Each skill is broken into small, observable subskills organized across an eight-level hierarchy. Depending on the skill, levels are based on:
• Degree of support required (from maximal support to independent, generalized use), or
• Number of targets correctly identified or completed

This structure ensures that every learner can demonstrate progress year over year, regardless of starting point.

✔ Seamlessly Converts Data into IEP Goals
With 200 functional skills and 1,600 subskills, the FASA eliminates guesswork. Results flow directly into goal writing with no extra interpretation required.

⭐ FULL ASSESSMENT BREAKDOWN
The FASA includes 20 subtests across the following functional skill areas:

• Requesting Needs and Preferences
• Following Directions
• Choice-Making
• Operational Competence and Access
• Receptive Identification of Functional Descriptors
• Expressive Identification of Functional Descriptors
• Describing Actions
• Basic Expressive Social Pragmatics
• Advanced Expressive Social Pragmatics
• Responding to Wh- Questions
• Responding to Yes/No Questions
• Self-Advocacy and Autonomy
• Literacy-Supported AAC Use
• Understanding Safety Signs
• Personal Safety Skills
• Digital Communication Skills
• Identifying Emotions
• Using a Multi-Functional AAC Device
• AAC System Awareness
• Partner-Supported Communication Use

⭐ BUILT-IN GOAL DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

✔ Comprehensive Goal Bank Included
The FASA includes a Goal Bank with 200 pre-written goal templates—one for every assessed skill.

✔ Create Over 1,600+ Customized Goals
Because each skill is scored across eight levels, educators can generate 1,600+ highly individualized goals by selecting the next appropriate level based on learner performance.

✔ Clear Process for Goal Creation
Once a skill is scored, the next instructional objective is identified by:
• Selecting the next level within the skill hierarchy
• Completing the goal template with individualized variables, including:
– Number of targets
– Instructor distance
– Specific environments, routines, or activities
– Number of communication partners
– Any additional learner-specific considerations

⭐ WHY THE FASA WORKS...

✓ Focuses on real-world functional communication
✓ Captures strengths, emerging skills, and areas of need
✓ Provides clear next steps for every assessed skill
✓ Eliminates vague scoring and stagnant progress
✓ Easy to administer
✓ Supports instruction across school, home, community, and vocational settings

⭐ PERFECT FOR:

✔ AAC evaluations
✔ Autism support programs (secondary & transition)
✔ Complex communication needs
✔ Functional communication assessment
✔ IEP present levels & annual goal development
✔ Progress monitoring
✔ Life-skills and vocational programs

In short, the Functional AAC Skills Assessment (FASA) was designed to be easy to use, highly functional, and immediately actionable. It consolidates critical communication skills into one comprehensive system and ensures that every learner—no matter their starting point—has the opportunity to demonstrate real, meaningful growth every year.

*By purchasing this product, you are granted a single-user license for one individual. The cost of $199.99 provides one (1) license for one (1) individual for the duration of one (1) year to access and use this assessment.

This product is intended for use by one individual only and may not be shared, distributed, copied, reproduced, or posted online in any form. All rights are reserved by the creator. Unauthorized reproduction, sharing, or distribution is strictly prohibited.