Augmentative Communication for iPad & iPhone

We really wished we had learned more about aug com (augmentative communication) much sooner with Macayla. It would have helped her put some skills in place earlier while she still could. However, it did not make sense for us to have the very expensive computerized aug com systems with touch screens that was out at the time. Amazingly, Apple's iPad and iPhone have revolutionized the availability of this technology at a fraction of the cost.

iPads have larger and more accessible screens, but iPhones or iPod Touch work for those with the fine motor skills to manipulate items on their screens. (An iPod Touch is just like the iPhone minus the phone capability.) They all have built in cameras. The iPhone and iPad with cellular connectivity have the benefit of not needing a wifi network to access the internet. In other words, you can access the internet anywhere. The iPod needs to be connected to a network wirelessly. For the non-techies out there, this may sound a bit overwhelming, but these devices were designed by Apple to be intuitive and to think like we do. People who have never spent much time on computers figure these things out very quickly. Plus, when they are not in use for aug com, they have all the functions of a laptop. Email, web, word processing, photos, movies, calendar, music, etc.



Apps for this device can do more than the previous, bulky systems. Apps like Tap Speak Plus can turn the iPad into a big Mac button. It has the flexibility for users to customize the button's shape and color or turn a picture into the button. No more hauling and storing big, plastic buttons that hold limited sound recordings. You can record whatever you want for it. My Choice Board is another app to communicate choices. It has a small library of images you can use or you can use the camera in the iPad to take a picture of an object and add it to the library. Also you can record sounds or words with the images.

Big Button Box is an app that provides sound effects activated by different big buttons on the screen. The buttons can be rearranged in any order so that the most helpful ones are on the first screen. This is also good as some of the buttons may have sounds not appropriate for all folks. There are cause and effect apps like Shrek Roar that respond to touch and/or sound.

For a great run down of what's available, go to the South Carolina Assistive Technology Program website and check out the handout from 2011 on these apps. If you download iTunes for free onto your computer, you can search right in iTunes itself to find these apps. We have heard from families how well their children have responded to these devices and it is so encouraging.