Technology: Improving Communication
Assistive technology is a generic term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices that focus on facilitating communication. This is most commonly referred to as Alternative and augmentative communication or AAC. AAC devices provide different means for individuals with speech or language impairments to interact and communicate with others.
Assistive technology can be broken into 2 sub-categories: Hi-tech and Lo-tech.
Hi-tech refers to electronic devices and are usually more expensive, but includes software that addresses anything from articulation impairments to text to speech applications. Hi-tech apps in recent years have skyrocketed with the advent of ipads and other tablet devices that contain apps that turn the simple tablet into a dynamic communicating device for people with speech and language disorders such as apraxia, voice disorders, and delayed language impairments. A few examples of Hi-tech apps include:
Proloquo2GO is an AAC app designed for the ipad that provides natural sounding text-to-speech voices, and a default vocabulary of over 7,000 items and is recommended for people who have trouble speaking or cannot speak at all Iname app was designed to assist individuals with word finding difficulty most commonly associated with Aphasia and Apraxia.
Verbally is an AAC app designed especially for the ipad. Verbally brings speech to those without and enables real conversation. Just tap in what you want to say and Verbally speaks for you.
The http://smartyearsapps.com/ has over 30 apps that promote speech and language skills. All were developed by certified speech-language pathologists and teachers.
Lo-Tech refers to less expensive technical options such as picture communication boards which contains pictures that represent often used items, phrases, or needs. It allows a child to point to the picture to express him or herself. The website http://www.amyspeechlanguagetherapy.com/communication-boards.html is a great resource for lo-tech devices that any teacher or parent can utilize for a fraction of the cost of Hi-tech apps.
Assistive technology can be broken into 2 sub-categories: Hi-tech and Lo-tech.
Hi-tech refers to electronic devices and are usually more expensive, but includes software that addresses anything from articulation impairments to text to speech applications. Hi-tech apps in recent years have skyrocketed with the advent of ipads and other tablet devices that contain apps that turn the simple tablet into a dynamic communicating device for people with speech and language disorders such as apraxia, voice disorders, and delayed language impairments. A few examples of Hi-tech apps include:
Proloquo2GO is an AAC app designed for the ipad that provides natural sounding text-to-speech voices, and a default vocabulary of over 7,000 items and is recommended for people who have trouble speaking or cannot speak at all Iname app was designed to assist individuals with word finding difficulty most commonly associated with Aphasia and Apraxia.
Verbally is an AAC app designed especially for the ipad. Verbally brings speech to those without and enables real conversation. Just tap in what you want to say and Verbally speaks for you.
The http://smartyearsapps.com/ has over 30 apps that promote speech and language skills. All were developed by certified speech-language pathologists and teachers.
Lo-Tech refers to less expensive technical options such as picture communication boards which contains pictures that represent often used items, phrases, or needs. It allows a child to point to the picture to express him or herself. The website http://www.amyspeechlanguagetherapy.com/communication-boards.html is a great resource for lo-tech devices that any teacher or parent can utilize for a fraction of the cost of Hi-tech apps.