7 Assistive Communication Apps in the iPad App Store. Augmentative and Alternative Communication Augmentative communication (AAC for short) is an alternative way to help students and adults with language disorders use expressive language or receptive language. Augmentative communication can be accomplished through assistive technology devices such as computers or hand held devices. Twenty years ago if your child was non-verbal your resources where very limited. Advanced communication was limited to low technology such as picture communication systems and sign language. Fast forward to 2011 and the iPad has revolutionized the assistive communication world. At an affordable price, the easy to use iPad has become the most recommended device when an assistive communication device is needed.
In the iPad app store there are numerous applications available for individuals with special needs. Here are seven assistive communication apps for the iPad that you may find useful: Proloquo2Go iCommunicate for iPad Company: Grembe Inc. iComm My Talk Tools Mobile. Speech Devices - Augmentative Communication | DynaVox. Do2Learn: Educational Resources for Special Needs. Tinsnips - Special education resource for autism. Karenplumley.suite101. Special education teachers and regular classroom teachers may find that teaching a student with autism or a communication disorder may require the use of social stories and a picture exchange communication system. A social story is a visual story using pictures and symbols to describe a situation that may occur in school or elsewhere.
It is a very effective teaching tool for kids who are having difficulty learning to read, write, and/or speak. Not every teacher is going to be able to create these social stories or storyboards from scratch. Having access to a library of pictures and symbols for creating social stories, rule charts, and visual cues will be a huge help. Free Pictures for Social Stories, Free Social Stories Creating communication boards, print-outs or computer worksheets that have pictures and symbols will greatly improve a student’s ability to understand expectations and directions and perform well in the classroom, both academically and socially.