Help an Autistic Child Communicate with the World They Live
Augmentative Communication for Autistic Children
For any child the ability to communicate is an important part of learning. For autistic children this can prove to be a unique challenge. Using augmentative communication tools even a non-verbal child can learn how to reach their full potential.
For years educators have been aware of the advantages of introducing children to enriched learning environments that reinforce a child’s primary learning style whether they are an auditory, kinesthetic or visual learner. An auditory learner interprets the underlying meaning of speech through tone, pitch and voice speed.
Few apps, systems and products helping Autistic
Visit www.brighthubeducation.com for more details about augmentative communication.
The Bluebee Pals
The Bluebee Pals are an Assistive Technology tool used to engage students in learning and socialization. Many Speech-Language Pathologists and Special Educators have observed increases in communication, following directions and turn-taking when the Bluebee Pals are used in conjunction with an appropriate Android or Apple device. For students using an Augmentative and Alternative Communication application, the Bluebee Pal can be paired with their bluetooth enabled app or device.
bluebeepals.com
The Center for AAC and Autism
The Center for AAC and Autism is dedicated to building awareness of the power of augmentative and alternative communication to change the lives of children with autism and other developmental disabilities who are challenged by limited spontaneous communication skills
www.aacandautism.com
Robotics for Autism
Aldebaran Robotics, for example, have created humanoid robots for use in classrooms. But Jalali Hartman, founder of ROBAUTO, said existing robots aren’t accessible to most children with autism because they’re so expensive. ROBAUTO is designing a device that is says will cost a few hundred dollars and will be simple and durable enough for use at home.
After launching at last year’s One Spark crowdfunding festival in Jacksonville, the company began holding focus groups and observing how people with autism interacted with a variety of devices, from iPads to robots.
The team asked children, parents and caregivers to explain what their ideal robot would do, and how it would help them.
What they found was that their first target market, teenagers, wanted their robots to look like a car. They wanted it to be human enough to relate to, but not too human that it was threatening or that they had to take care of it.
Hartman said his team designed its robot around those components and added basic functionalities like navigation, lights and sounds.
“It’s meant to behave almost like a puppy coming into a room — to get their attention and keep their attention, to roam around and come up to people,” he explained. “The robot is supposed to be a center of focus that they can relate to, and also a hub for gathering information about what’s going on around them.”
On that note, the ultimate vision is that the robot will also collect data on things like noise levels and potentially even biofeedback.
For details visit: http://www.robauto.co/
The company just wrapped up at the Healthbox Florida accelerator program and now has its first prototype complete. Next, it plans to refine the design and then launch a crowdfunding campaign to get the device into the hands of some 500 users around the first of the year, Hartman said. Already, a few hundred people and teaching centers are on the list to participate in beta trials.
DynaVox Mayer-Johnson: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices and Services
As the world’s leading provider of AAC products and services, DynaVox offers complete solutions for individuals with speech and learning challenges. Our speech generative devices, often funded by Medicare, Medicaid or insurance, help those with conditions such as autism make meaningful connections with the world around them.
www.dynavoxtech.com
Enabling Devices
Enabling Devices is a company dedicated to developing affordable learning and assistive devices to help people of all ages with disabling conditions.
www.enablingdevices.com
GoTalk Pocket
The GoTalk Pocket is lightweight, contoured, and so small it fits nicely in your hand or your pocket! Six message keys with five levels give the user plenty to talk about. Overlays slide in easily and are stored in a removable compartment on the back. The Pocket is rugged, attractive, easy to use, and has great sound quality.
mayer-johnson.com
LAMP: Language Acquisition through Motor Planning
LAMP is a therapeutic approach based on neurological and motor learning principles. The goal is to give individuals who are nonverbal or have limited verbal abilities a method of independently and spontaneously expressing themselves in any setting.
www.aacandautism.com/lamp
MyVoice
MyVoice is an alternative and augmentative communications aide (AAC) designed to help non-verbal, low cognitive people communicate their needs and desires. It’s the digital big brother of a “picture board”, a communication method that has been shown to work extremely well many non-verbal children.
www.discovermyvoice.com
Parlerai
Parelerai is the world’s first Augmentative Collaboration (TM) service, using state-of-the-art Internet tools to enhance collaboration, bringing together the people and information needed to meet the challenges of everyday life for a child with special needs.
www.parlerai.com
Pass It On Center
The Pass It On Center is creating national and state resources to foster the appropriate reuse of AT so that people with disabilities can get the affordable AT they need in order to live, learn, work and play more independently.
www.passitoncenter.org
Proloquo2Go: AAC In Your Pocket
Proloquo2Go is a new product from AssistiveWare that provides a full-featured communication solution for people who have difficulty speaking. It brings natural sounding text-to-speech voices, up-to-date symbols, powerful automatic conjugations, a default vocabulary of over 7000 items, full expandability and extreme ease of use to the iPhone and iPod touch.
www.proloquo2go.com
ProxTalker
ProxTalker is a LoganTech brand of products that offers two unique communication solutions for individuals who are non verbal. The ProxTalker and ProxPAD use picture and tangible object tags to give a voice output. These picture tags are movable, and can be easily customized and recorded. They uniquely use RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology to enable independent verbal picture communication. Simply place any photo, symbols or object on a sound tag card and receive a voice output.
logantech.com
SmartEdPad: A Dedicated Therapy and Intervention Tool
A dedicated therapy tablet for Special Education bundled with over 100s of Therapy apps approved by experienced Therapists! SmartEdPad is one-stop solution for Children with Special Needs, Special Education professionals, Therapists, SLPs who are in Special Education Space. SmartEdPad leverages the power of a mobile device and transforms special education by taking it to a whole new level! SmartEdPad can be customized to each child or group and it can be used at school, in clinics, or at home.
www.smartedpad.com
Smartstones Touch
A wearable device that lets you send messages with swipe, tap, or shake gestures. Smartstones Touch is the first wearable that lets you send messages with simple gestures. We’re building a platform for nonverbal communication, designed for use by anyone and everyone.
www.smartstones.co
Switchamajig
Switchamajig products enable an iPad to control things in the physical world. They sell the Switchamajig Controller as well as unique adapted toys such as remote controlled cars and boats.
www.switchamajig.com
TalkingTablet Communication Aids
TalkingTablets help people with speech or learning difficulties to communicate. There are different TalkingTablets to meet different user needs offering text, symbols or photos as well as a choice of voices. For children and adults alike, TalkingTablets support people with a range of disabilities such as autism.
www.talktablet.com
TapToTalk
Portable, customizable, affordable, socially acceptable AAC for Nintendo, iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, Android devices and the web. Give your child a voice!
taptotalk.com
Tech4Everyone
A revolutionary computer station that enables people of all ages and abilities to effectively use the computer independently.
www.tek4everyone.com
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