Avaz is a full-featured AAC app. Avaz has been developed for children who are non-verbal or who have difficulty speaking. Avaz has been designed with the aim to help autistic children to communicate and develop an intent to learn. Avaz has numerous personalization and customization options. It also has features like multiple sensory reinforcement, picture prediction, tracing of therapy sessions, integrated keyboard and text mode, all of which makes it extremely easy for the child to use. Avaz grows with the child.
Web Reader HD for iPad uses text to speech technology along with web page content recognition to read web pages. You can configure web pages to be read as soon as they are loaded, read pages manually after they are loaded, or use Cut, Copy, & Paste to read only sections of text.
Features of Web Reader: fast reading; reads PDFs; special Google Reader support; reads locally synced files; remote control support; continues reading when backgrounded; image blocking; two high quality voices; voice volume; speaking speed; highlights while reading; auto-speak; launching from Safari; landscape mode option; reads while locked; and stop and restart.
For a demo of Web Reader, watch the video below:
Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later.
Ablah is an augmentative communication tool designed to help all people who have some type of language disorder. This app supports voice output in Spanish and English. Beyond a simple communication program, Ablah allows therapists and parents who live or work with people with language disorders such as autism, afasianentre Down syndrome or others to improve their quality of life and improve interaction with their environment. It is as simple as choosing an image and assigning a sound.
To see a demonstration of Ablah using the Spanish language, watch the video below:
Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later.
Read2Go is an assistive technology book reader that uses text-to-speech technology to read books aloud. To understand Read2Go, you must first understand what Bookshare is all about. Bookshare.org provides electronic copies of books and periodicals for readers with print disabilities. The books are downloaded in an electronic form that can be easily modified to meet the needs of readers with diverse disabilities. This can mean altering font, size, color, and even using text-to-speech technology to provide read-aloud capability. Bookshare is currently available free of charge for US students with qualifying disabilities, thanks to a grant by the Department of Education.
Read2Go’s integration with Bookshare makes locating and downloading electronic textbooks easy, provided you have a qualifying Bookshare account.
For a quick tutorial on Read2Go, watch the video below:
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Required iOS 40 or later.
ConversationBuilder is a must-have application for every speech language pathologist. This app prompts students through each stage of an interactive conversation and records their spoken responses. At the end of each session, the entire conversation is played back at a natural pace so that students can hear themselves successfully exchanging comments with their virtual peers. Recorded conversations can be stored and even emailed to teachers and parents.
ConversationBuilder is designed to help children learn how to have multi-exchange conversations with their peers in a variety of social settings. The auditory pattern of conversation is presented in a visual format to help students recognize and master the flow of conversation. Students will learn when it is appropriate to introduce themselves, ask questions, make observations and change the subject of the conversation.
For a tutorial on ConversationBuilder, watch the video below:
Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 and later.
Sosh is a mobile app designed to help ‘tweens, teens, and young adults improve social skills. It is especially designed to be used by individuals with Asperger’s Syndrome. Sosh focuses on five essential abilities for social skills development: Relate, Relax, Reason, Regulate, and Recognize. These “5R’s” serve as a road map for individuals who want to be social, but may have faced obstacles in the past, and also serve as a guide for parents, teachers, and therapists hoping to encourage and assist individuals with their social goals.
Sosh contains over 60 screens presenting exercises, strategies, and practical information to work through social situations in a step-by-step manner. And, most importantly, the app encourages you to work on these skills during everyday interactions, when learning is most likely to occur.
Features include: Get Out and Explore Companion; Feelings Identifier and Perspective Meter; Transition Timer; Relaxation Strategies; Problem Solver; Behavior Tracking and Monitoring; Individualized Education Program (IEP) Recommendations; Feedback Form for Teachers, Parents, and Therapists, and much more……
For a series of feature demonstrations on the Sosh app, watch the videos below:
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later.
iWordQ (English) is an easy-to-use writing and reading application to assist struggling writers and readers. In Writing mode, a simple text editor is used for writing with the support of word prediction, abbreviation-expansion and speech feedback features. Spell-check and dictionary access is included. Use speech recognition with an iPad 3, 4, mini. Text documents are saved automatically and are retrieved from the File menu. Dropbox support is included for sharing documents across systems. Documents may also be shared through several other connections, including email, Facebook, Twitter, Message, the pasteboard, and opening in other Apps.
In Reading mode, text is shown in a more visually pleasing manner to improve readability. This is used for proofreading, reading to learn, silent reading, reading aloud, and casual reading/listening. A novel text chunking method (patent-pending) can be selected to enhance comprehension and readability of text to allow you to focus on one text chunk at a time.
For a quick tutorial for iWordQ, watch the video below:
Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 and later.
Firefly K3000 is a mobile extension to the Kurzweil 3000 – firefly Web License education program that delivers anytime, anywhere access to key reading supports for those individuals with the cognitive ability, but not the literacy skills, to learn from age appropriate content.
The Firefly K3000 iPad app delivers core text-to-speech reading functions with speed, voice, and pacing accommodations; and access to the shared Universal Library content available to Kurzweil 3000 – firefly Web License customers.
For instructions on how to get Firefly K3000 and a tutorial on how to use it, watch the video below:
Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later.
iReadWrite makes reading easier and ensures accurate writing as you use your iPad for school, work, or leisure. This reading and writing app runs directly on the iPad with no WiFi or 3G access necessary. It includes support features that benefit struggling readers and writers of all ages, especially those with dyslexia, dysgraphia, or other learning difficulties. Support features include: text-to-speech, word prediction, phonetic spell checker, homophone and confusables checker; dictionary; picture dictionary; customizable background and text colors; choice of voices and fonts, and importing and sharing documents.
For an overview of iReadWrite, watch the video below:
Requirements: Compatible with iPad. Requires iOS 6.0 or later.
Look2Learn (L2L) -AAC, an AAC software application for the iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad that allows individuals to work at their communicative level using photographs to express wants and needs. The system integrates preloaded vocal output so that individuals can use their “voice”. In addition, users are able to record their own personalized audio and pair it with photos. L2L offers a variety of features that can be quickly learned by the user and offers outstanding individualization. In addition, Look2Learn has a targeted assessment that can be downloaded at the Look2Learn website which will allow for easy setup and precise customization.
Look2Learn allows educators and/or parents to adjust picture sizes to assist individuals with fine motor and/or visual challenges. The system comes pre-loaded with over 80 photos distributed into six categories, but can be customized to accommodate the individual’s needs. Also, L2L’s vocal output allows for the individual to hear and model familiar voices. L2L addresses the communication needs of multiple populations including: early development communication enhancement; individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder; individuals who have short or long-term communication challenges due to medical needs; as well as others who have a speech and language disorder.
To watch a tutorial for the Look2Learn app, view the video below:
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later.