Free Text-based AAC Apps for the iPad
Looking for an AAC app for someone who reads and writes? Here are a few free ones that you can explore and use in your evaluations.
1. Verbally (Free): Plus a premium version for purchase that allows for more customization and prestored mesages for things the client may want to say over and over (e.g., What’s going on with the kids? Can you help me with something? I don’t agree with that. I need my pain medicine, It’s too cold in here. etc.)
3. Phrase Board
4. Small Talk Conversational Phrases
5. Small Talk Daily Activities
7. Talk Assist
Do you use one that didn’t make it onto our list? Please let us know.
Filed under: PrAACtical Thinking
Tagged With: free, iOS, iPad, print, text, text-to-speech
This post was written by Carole Zangari
4 Comments
Hi Carole- I initially sent this question to Sean and he suggested that I check out your blog.
The agency that I’m consulting with is considering getting a few tablet devices and they’re questioning why to get I-Pads when Android tablets are so much less expensive. I’ve narrowed down the software to Proloquo2Go. I’d appreciate your opinion as to whether the I-Pad is a better choice over the Android and if there is a better software system to use for speech generating purposes with multiple users.
Thank you- Gene Pizzolato , SLP
Gene, thanks for your question. It really depends on what the planned use for the device is. For AAC, while there are options for the Android tablets, there are a great many more for the iOS platform. On average, I think the quality of the AAC apps is better on iOS than Android, although there are some very good apps on both. Again, the answer is driven by the purpose that you want the device to serve. Ferrari makes an awesome car, but I wouldn’t want to drive it on the beach or use it to pull a trailer. Knowing what you want the device to do will help you make the best decision. If I was purchasing one for an agency so that the SLP could use it for evals and therapy with people who need AAC, I would most likely choose the iOS device. Hope that is helpful, Gene.
Thanks Carole!
I have anxiety and sometimes go nonverbal. I use a text based AAC app, called EmergencyChat. I consider EmergencyChat to be aac because it’s a text based app.