Micro-Culture

A distinct set of communication norms, practices, and shared understandings that develop within a specific community or group of individuals. In AAC communication, micro-culture refers to the unique "listener-feedback dialect" that AAC users form—blending device output with embodied signals like eyebrow raises, wheelchair taps, and vocalizations in ways that diverge from mainstream conversational norms. Recognizing AAC communication as a micro-culture rather than a deficient version of spoken communication is important for designing technology that supports rather than overwrites existing communicative practices.