Looking for an affordable app to help introduce your child to augmentative and alternative communication? My First AAC is an iPad app specifically designed for toddlers and preschoolers who experience speech difficulties. This particular app has been noted as “a great beginner Augmentative Alternative Communication app for young children” by Megan Bratti, MS, CCC-SLP.
My First AAC was developed in collaboration with speech-language pathologists, and features a child-friendly interface to help children easily communicate with family, caregivers, and teachers. To use the app, children simply scroll through theme-based category icons (e.g. feelings, food, greetings, etc.) Within the app, children also have access to more than 250 related words and phrases to express commonly used ideas. According to the app’s description, “Each word or phrase is represented by a colorful icon and, when tapped, triggers the corresponding audio.”
Other Features of My First AAC App:
- Intuitive, child-friendly design appropriate for children 18 months+.
- Features more than 250 icons organized by category.
- Ability to add customized icons by using your own pictures.
- Boy or girl changes voice with corresponding gender of child in icons.
- A child’s voice is used in all audio files to make the audio more relatable.
- Animated icons with concepts borrows from sign language.
- Icons represent words and phrases commonly used by young children.
- Ability to record personal information such as name, address, birthday and phone number.
- Customizable screen layout:
- Display 8 small icons per category OR
- Display 2 larger icons (ideal for children with motor skill challenges.)
- Ability to hide and show icons
- Ability to lock the screen to prevent scrolling.
Click here to learn more about the My First AAC app.
