AAC Devices- WP7

Augmentative & Alternative Communication Devices

Augmentative and Alternative communication (AAC) devices are tools to help individual who may have little to no means of verbal communication, yet there is a difference between these two. Augmentative devices are used by people who have some speech abilities but, are unintelligible or with limited speech abilities. Alternative communication devices are for individuals with no ability for speech. These people will rely on communication devices to express wants, needs, ideas, etc. Four AAC devices that I have found are: IPAD with Proloquo2Go, GoTalk20+, AAC flip book, and the Dynavox Tango! device.

If an individual has or buys an IPAD, they can download the app Proloquo2Go. Proloquo2Go is an app that allows individuals the opportunity to express themselves that they couldn’t do before. The individual will tap on the pictures from their customizable home screen and the iPad will speak them aloud. This allows students to build vocabulary skills, sentence formation, communication and language skills. Also, students can use this app for requesting or asking questions to teachers or paraprofessionals. Students can also pick the words and the picture that go along with the word that best works for them.

GoTalk20+ is a hand held device for only communication. There are five levels of recording messages that are stored on the device. One can have up to a 100 messages up to 15 minutes long. The levels are things or ideas that one might want to express in their daily life. The individual will touch the picture of their choosing and the device will speak it aloud. Students can use this device by helping them verbally expressing themselves about what they might need or desire.

AAC flip book is a no tech communication device. This is a form of a picture book that using no electric or technology. It is a book of pictures that one will point too along with showing an adult or someone who can help them get the desire item or action. The flip book are pictures that one will use in their everyday according to that individual. The picture some from a software from one’s computer, Boardmaker. You might have the software in order to create these pages. This is a great tool for students because it does not require a charge and students might not always have access. It is also inexpensive to create and maintain.

Dynavox Tango! device is a communication device for individuals of all ages with speech and/or learning disabilities. The devices has a range of icons that appear on the screen that the individual would push and the device would speak them aloud. These icons can be customized for the individual. These icons are words that one might need to express themselves. There are over 6,000 words and 2,500 build in phrases that are preprogrammed. This can help students build sentence formation, communication skills, allows them to express themselves in the appropriate setting.