Avatalker AAC 2.2

Avatalker AAC is a communication application designed for nonverbal individuals, offering an intuitive interface that transforms images into spoken words. Its features include a selection of wants and needs, phrase construction, and versatile customization options, making it one of the most accessible and powerful AAC tools available for iOS devices such as iPad and iPad Mini.

The application provides a comprehensive augmentative and alternative communication solution, catering to children and adolescents with diverse abilities. It employs a 2,000-word vocabulary and utilizes the Aurora symbol set library, which is both user-friendly and engaging. The software is structured into two skill levels to accommodate varying capabilities:

• Stage 1: Designed for users with limited fine motor skills, allowing simple selections to express basic daily wants and needs. It supports full customization with personal photos and phrases, with adjustable button sizes and arrangement.
• Stage 2: Offers a more advanced communication platform with extensive customization options. It features streamlined navigation and grammar tools that facilitate quick construction of sentences and phrases. Additional information and demos are available at aurorasymbols.com.

The interface of Avatalker AAC emphasizes straightforward navigation: categories are always visible at the top, while their contents are displayed in a horizontal scroll window at the bottom. This design eliminates nested menus, reducing cognitive load and improving ease of use. Horizontal scrolling aligns with natural visual processing tendencies, enabling users to locate words efficiently. Personalization features include the ability to learn and prioritize frequently used words based on user habits.

The app incorporates Neospeech's high-quality, natural-sounding voices, allowing adjustments to pitch and speaking speed to suit individual preferences. Customer support is accessible via the application's feedback panel or through direct contact on the Aurora Symbols website, with prompt responses to inquiries.

Feedback from users highlights its versatility and ease of use:

• Jennifer S. (IL, 5 years old): "Beautifully designed. Very intuitive. Keeps kids engaged. I love the endless options of nouns, verbs, adjectives. Any sentence seems possible. Suitable for all ages and skill levels. Very versatile; worth the investment."
• Lisa K. (IL, 7 years old): "Customization made it very easy for her to request independently. She navigated well with Stage 2; the clarity of sentence building encouraged her to express herself freely. Overall, one of the best AAC apps available."
• Susan S. (CA, 14 years old): "My son shows great interest in this app; he uses it frequently alongside his game apps. It holds promise for enhancing his communication skills in speech therapy sessions and is expected to become essential in speech-language pathology."
• Victoria W. (NM, 11 years old): "During auditory processing therapy, we used two buttons from Stage 1: 'That sound is okay' and 'Oh no! That’s too loud!' Remarkably, he completed the ENTIRE screening successfully by reading the responses—an exciting milestone for us."