Did you know we’ve been working on creating a free AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) application that also incorporates phonics and American Sign Language? In our own experience, we wanted one place where we could try to help our son communicate. This has the usual technology behind most AACs, plus spelling with phonics for additional words. And on top of that we know our son has memorized some ASL signs and has taken to that language fairly well. So, we put it all together to give a communciation access with all those components together. Each word tile shows a video of the ASL sign for that word, and speaks it aloud. Tiles can be put together to form a phrase, which then can be spoken all at once. This phrase will also be signed, in as close to proper ASL language order as possible.
Something important in the design of this was thinking about what our child is used to working with, and what makes him feel safe. For that reason, we tried to make this look like manipulatives and a tray on a wooden desk, with calming colors. It feels like grabbing chunky tiles and putting them together in a sensory tray to form a thought.
We are still tweaking, but would love for anyone to use it and test it out who thinks their own family members or therapy clients could find it useful. You’ll find an “About” page linked at the bottom of the app that lets you submit feedback and any words that you think should be added.