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Description of AAC Devices
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Description of AAC Software

Discover:Screen 
$199 (Mac or PC) 

Type: computer software 

Discover:Screen is an on-screen keyboard for the classroom that allows students who can use a mouse, trackball or touch screen access to the computer. It provides point-and-click access to standard keyboard letters, whole words and communication phrases. The on-screen keyboard can color code keys with letters, pictures or words to match educational goals. Use a talking Discover:Screen displaying whole words as a reading and writing tool in the classroom.  

Don Johnston Inc. 

Overlay Maker for IntelliKeys ® 
$70 (Mac) $100 (Win) 

Type: computer software program. 

Simply draw keys on the computer screen. Add letters, phrases, mouse movements, even special IntelliKeys settings. Choose from any available font in any size and various styles. Add background colors and patterns. Use Overlay Maker to customize switch settings for your favorite switch program. Overlay Maker comes with the IntelliTools Picture Library of over 300 carefully selected, playful images. Use these pictures in color or black-and-white as you design overlays. 

IntelliTools

 

IntelliTalk II® 
$100 (MAC and Win) 
Type: talking word processing software (the computer speaks what is being typed) Message
Representation: synthesized speech, DECtalk  
Access: Mouse, IntelliKeys, Switch, and Standard Keyboard 
Other Features: 
Speech options and Auditory Spell Check reinforce letter and word recognition. Auditory Spell Check lets students hear misspelled words and listen to alternative choices. On-screen palettes provide useful picture and text prompts that can be inserted into documents. Expandable Item Library makes it easy for students to incorporate meaningful graphics into  their document. Built-in scanning and automatic overlay generation provide IntelliKeys and switch access.

IntelliTools

 

Boardmaker from Mayer-Johnson 
$399 (Mac or Win) 

Type: computer software: used to incorporate communication symbols and pictures into custom overlays. 

This computerized library of Picture Communication symbols can be copied and pasted into any overlay or activity with a single click. Includes drawing program and instructional video. 

3,000 Picture Communication Symbols in bitmapped clip art form. Makes pictures any size and with any spacing.  Prints displays in black & white or color (if you have a color printer).  Store, name, retrieve, resize, and paste scanned or custom-drawn pictures.  Make worksheets, picture instruction
sheets, reading books, journals, or posters. 

Mayer Johnson 

Glossary of frequently used AAC terms:

DECtalk: The most common speech synthesizer used in communication devices. Voices can be programmed to simulate both female and male voices for children
through adults. (see this link for more info on DECtalk) 

Digitized Speech: Unlike synthesized speech which relies on software to create spoken words, digitized speech is simply "recorded" speech. The programmer records their own words into the device, and the user then plays them back. This method requires lots of memory to store multiple phrases and cannot make words which aren't directly recorded.

Direct Selection: With direct selection, "what you push is what you get". Like a normal keyboard, pressing the "L" key, displays an "L" on the screen. This method does not require a sequence of events like "indirect selection", but simply one action produces an effect.

Dynamic Display: A dynamic display changes as you move through sequences of "communication boards" automatically. The device can be programmed to change screens when certain buttons are activated. For example, one can program a "meal" board to change to a "lunch options  only" board automatically by the child pressing the "I want to eat lunch" button. This requires good memory and problem solving ability by the user, and can be extremely valuable to the intelligent person who wants
to independently use large vocabulary and context choices throughout the day.

Indirect Selection: This method requires the user to activate a sequence in order to elicit a desired response. For example, a user may use a switch to activate a scanning cursor. When the cursor reaches the desired target, the switch is activated again to "select" the target.

Keyguard: A keyguard is used to help guide the user to the correct location of a direct selection device like a keyboard. It allows the user to drag their hand(s) across the device without accidentally hitting undesired keys or selection. Holes are made over the correct areas for more accurate selections. 

Membrane Keyboard: A membrane keyboard is one flat surface. The advantage is that you can make overlays which customize the layout to fit your specific needs. The disadvantage is that it is only 2 dimensional, and it can be easy to activate undesired fields without a keyguard. 

Minspeak: This is different from a dynamic display as described in this glossary in that it is not a multiple "level" or overlay system. It uses pictures which carry certain meanings depending. One can string many pictures together to create a complete idea, and these pictures change in meaning depending on the context of the previously selected pictures. If this sounds confusing, you are not alone. This requires a great deal of training to learn how to use this, but can be very useful when one become proficient. Click here for more info on this, and for a comparison (biased) on Minspeak vs dynamic level systems.

Scanning: Scanning is frequently used with indirect switch selection. Typically, activation of the switch initiates a scanning sequence (linear, column-row, etc..). A second activation will select the user's desired choice. Many variations of this concept exist depending on the number of switches, and desired responses.  Scanning rate is usually user adjustable. 

Synthesized Speech: This is speech that the computer generates to closely resemble a human voice.  A digital answering machine is an example of a product that uses synthesized speech. This method allows the computer to generate an unlimited number of possible spoken words, and takes up little memory. The most common speech synthesizer used in communication devices is DECtalk.

Word Prediction Software: Word prediction works well for "slower" typers and also for those who have difficulty with spelling, but want to be able to write proficiently. The software "predicts" what you are typing as you go. With each keystroke, the choices continue to narrow down to your desired word, until the user simply hits one key or switch to select the desired word without having to type the whole thing out. CoWriter is an example of word prediction software.


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