Speakers for your iPhone or iPod Touch

I’ve been on the road quite a bit this week and last, so not much time for posts.  I did run across a set of speakers for the iPhone or iPod touch however that I think will work great with the Proloquo2Go software I highlighted last week.

iMainGo

The speakers pictured to the left are from iMainGo.  They fit snugly around your iPhone or iPod touch, which not only looks  nice, but gives your device some extra protection as well.

I havent’ personally used the speakers, but the reviews I’ve seen are excellent.  This will give your device the extra volume it needs to become a very legitimate communication device.

I’m sure there are more options out there, so be sure to send me an email or comment if you have recommendations.

A Low Cost AAC Alternative – Proloquo2Go

If you haven’t already heard, there is an App in the apple application store for iPhone and iPod Touches that can turn your iPod into an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device.  If you’re not familiar with AAC devices, they help people who are unable to speak communicate with others… they give you a voice.  The app is called Proloquo2Go and is priced at $199, but can currently be purchased for $149.  This may sound expensive for an application, but considering the alternative is a $1,200 – $8,000 device, I consider the price very reasonable.

Porloquo2Go.com

In addition to the low price, there are a few other things I like:

• Unlike some software, it comes with some standard vocabulary that makes it usable as soon as it is downloaded.
• You can add new messages at any time.  This includes symbols, or just snap a picture with your iPhone or iPod touch and make a custom button
• You can type a message at any time and have it read aloud
• There is a button that allows you to re-read something you said 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, or longer ago instead of having to re-type the message.
• You can put beginner to advanced vocabulary sets and change the size of the symbols (which of course will cause less symbols to be displayed on the screen).

The only thing I am not to excited about is the volume.  This has nothing to do with the software itself, but if you are in a crowded area there’s not much of a chance that your communication partner will hear you (you could always show them what you are saying I suppose).  I know there are external speakers you can buy for the iPhone, but not sure if there are any that are portable enough to stay connected to the iPhone with a power source for long period of time.  If they do not exist yet, I imagine someone will be coming out with them soon.

A final thing I would like to note is that this could be the tool to end much of the abandonment of AAC devices we see all to often.  There aren’t too many non-verbal students that get excited about carrying around an AAC device everywhere they go.  Even if it is a smaller device, it is still different.  This changes everything however.  I can pick up an iPod touch for under $200 on ebay ($229 new for the 8GB version from Apple) and be using the same device to communicate that others are using for a variety of purposes.

Determining Communication Status

I find that I get more requests to do consults in the area of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) than anywhere else.  This has forced me to put together a process to help ensure I am making the best possible recommendations.  Contrary to popular belief, AAC is not rocket science, so I figured I would share my process here in hopes that it will help others needing to learn more.  This post will focus on determining the type of communicator you are working with.  Future posts will go into more detail about particular devices.

While in Orlando at ATIA this year I stopped by the DynaVox booth.  They gave me a laminated sheet labeled the interAACT framework (you can download it here)that helps determine what type of communicator a potential AAC user may be.  The framework is adapted from Patricia Dowden’s work at the University of Washington (see more information by Clicking Here).

The point of this framework is to help you know whether the potential user is an emergent, context-dependent, or independent communicator.  You should visit the site or download the document to learn more, but the basic things to look for in an emergent communicator include things like having limited purposeful communication, little or no social interactions, etc… The more able a communicator, the further up the continuum he or she would be.

So why does this help?  First, going through the characteristics forces you to ask important questions that you may not otherwise ask.  Second, although we’re not at this stage yet, knowing the answers to some of these questions will help you to immediately rule out several types of devices.  For example, if you have an emergent communicator, and they have not yet grasped the concept of pictures representing actual objects, it’s probably a little early to be going out and purchasing a the latest and greatest $10,000 dynamic display device.  However, if a communicator is at the independent/creative stage, that may very well be what you need.

Once I have a clear understanding of the type of communicator I am dealing with, I am able to start researching the most appropriate supports.  I have several books, websites, magazines, etc… that keep me up to date on what type of AAC devices are out there.  If you are new to the AAC field, I recommend going to the Wisconsin Assistive Technology Initiative’s website and downloading their AT assessment guide (4th edition - get it here).  There is a complete chapter on AAC, which includes an AAC device continuum with examples.  Although this isn’t an exhaustive list, it will give you the general idea of what’s out there.  Then you just need to do your research.

After determining the type of communicator you are dealing with and getting some ideas from the WATI or other resources, you are ready to start trials.   AAC, and AT in general, is really a trial and error field.  You gather the most information you can, find what you think the most appropriate device at this time will be, and try it out.  Collect data and if it works great, if not, it’s back to the drawing board.  Hopefully your school system or university will have AT you can borrow for trials.  If not, most regions have some type of lending library (in Central KY we have the Bluegrass Technology Center and Special Education Cooperatives).  As a last resort, most companies will let you lease (or even borrow) a device for a short amount of time just to try.

Hopefully this post will be beneficial to some of you. I will make future posts on more concrete AAC ideas and examples.  The point that I want to get across for now is that the person who knows the most about a student is the person who works with him or her on a daily basis.  Pulling in an “AAC Expert” may be helpful because of their knowledge, but remember that this person will have limited experience with the potential user.  By using the process I’ve tried to outline here, you may be more qualified to make suggestions than what you originally thought.

Please send feedback on this process.  I just wanted to get something in writing and am sure there are many areas for improvement.

Just received a Proxtalker

Just got my demo proxtalker - http://proxtalker.com/.  Look forward to showing it off next week at Kentucky cooperative network meetings.