Conversational Agency

An individual's capacity to express themselves and achieve their communicative goals within a conversation. Conversational agency encompasses not just the ability to transmit messages but also the ability to shape conversation flow, express personality, negotiate meaning, and participate fully in the social dynamics of interaction. For AAC users, conversational agency is shaped by the speed and expressiveness of their communication tools, the responsiveness of communication partners, and the social and temporal structures of the interaction. AAC users often prioritize agency over speed, though in time-pressured situations like backchanneling, timing becomes more critical.