People may struggle with speaking for plenty of reasons — it may be a vent recovery or a permanent disorder such as autism, cerebral palsy, etc. Whether you have little or no speech to communicate at all — there are apps to ease your life a lot.
There are lots of AAC apps for Android & iOS that will turn your thought into words and sentences as fast as you can tap.
These apps use images and symbols and predictive techs to let non-verbal people interact with the world. Plus, these apps are made for people of all ages and communication needs so there’s something for everyone.
Wanna keep your health records organized? This article has you covered: 9 Free Health Electronic Records Apps for Android & iOS
Here’s the list of the best Augmentative and Alternative Communication apps. Have a look!
LetMeTalk
Let’s start with the LetMeTalk app. It’s a talking app that gives voice to everyone regardless of their physical abilities.
The mechanics of this app is quite simple — you get to line up the images to convey some idea. Then, the app reads your images line as a sentence. It needs to be said, the image base of this app is wide and it covers all areas of life. For now, there are over 9,000 pics and more are being added regularly.
What is more, you get to add your own pics or take shots right away. As for the images, they are drawn in minimal style, so they’re easy to understand.
Herewith, you can add some images at your faves and sort them by categories for easy navigation. The number of categories and pics you can add is unlimited so no worries about that.
No web connection is required so you can reach the app wherever you are. The app also supports various languages you can switch between instantly. The same goes for the accounts — you can keep several profiles if needed. The best thing is — the app is financed by donations so it’s totally free for you.
You may also check: 11 Best Text to Speech Apps for Android & iOS 2020
SymboTalk
Next, we have a free AAC app that will serve as your digital voice.
The main idea of this app is to make an alternative communication system simple and accessible for everyone. Due to this, the app uses simple images everyone could understand.
Herewith, the app covers symbols of different life areas so you get to talk about whatever you want. As you click on each symbol the app reads it at loud.
Your job here is to line up several symbols and the app will read it as a full-on sentence. In case something is misunderstood you can easily remove any symbol and replace it.
The app has a pre-made symbol pack sorted by themes and there’s a search engine you can use. Plus, you can make your own symbol folders for easy navigation.
The app covers a huge base of symbols but you can always add your own if you feel something is missing. To cope with that, you can load any picture from your gallery or take a shot with a built-in cam.
Besides, you can make countless boards with pre-made symbol lines if needed. The app doesn’t require a web connection and doesn’t have any sub packs.
CommBoards
This is a speech assistance app that lets people with limited verbal abilities get their own voice.
The app runs on a time-proven communication boards system that has been used by specialists for years now. This system lets people of all ages communicate effortlessly and intuitively.
Plus, the app doesn’t require a web connection so it can be used in any possible situation. As for the mechanics, there are pics you can click on and the app will say it aloud.
Then, you get to line up the pics to express a thought and the app will read it as a sentence. In case something is wrong you can always replace any pic in secs.
The pic library of this app is wide but you can always add your own ones if needed. All the images are simply drawn and easy to understand even for kids. The app is also pre-configured for ASD kids specifically.
You may rather load an image or take a photo right away. Plus, you can make your own thematic boards for quick and easy navigation.
The number of boards you can make is unlimited so no worries here. You can also record your own sounds and connect them with images. The app also covers several languages you can switch if needed.
Leeloo AAC
This app lets kids with speech disorders communicate with the world. In the first place, this app is made for kids specifically so it won’t be useful for adults.
Of course, you can configure the app to fit an adult or an older person, but it’s easier to get another one. The main idea of his app is to help non-verbal kids to interact with their parents, teachers friends, and whoever else is needed.
The app uses both AAC and PECS systems to provide intuitive and interactive communication methods. Plus, these systems are commonly used in autism therapy so you can be sure that is quite effective. This is how the app works — there’s a card for all the worlds your kid may need.
There are pre-made packs for a simple conversation, for food, feelings, and even quarantine. When a kid taps on a card the app tells this word aloud.
And as it may be hard for the kids to line up the pics to get a sentence, the app will offer several phrase options for each word. All your kid needs to do here is to pick the right phrase and the app will pronounce it.
Spoken – Tap to Talk AAC
The name of this app speaks for itself. It’s a verbal assistant that helps non-verbal people to express their feelings and thoughts.
This app lets you build full-on sentences on your mobile as quickly as possible. That’s because the app runs on new tech that predicts the words you may potentially say next. So every time you click on an icon you’ll instantly get a list of options to pick from.
Thus, you won’t even need to complete the line out of pics — the app will already know what you wanted to say. Additionally, this app learns from you and configures you to become your perfect fit.
In other words, the app studies and remembers your talking style (which is unique for all people) and the phrases you use most.
Thus, the more you use this app the better it gets in predicting your next words. Besides, this app is made for people with various speech disorders — from autism to stroke. So regardless of if you were born with the limited verbal ability or just need to recover after a vent -this app has you covered.
You may also check: 11 Free Apps for Visually Impaired People (Android & iOS)
CoughDrop
Next, we have an intuitive AAC app that lets people with speech disorders communicate with the world.
It needs to be said right away, this app is connected with the same-called site and you need an account to use it (all the accs are paid).
However, you get a two-month free trial to find out if the platform meets all your needs and is worth paying for or not. This tool is made for people with all kinds of communication disabilities — from autism to cerebral palsy so no worries about that.
The app covers various communication boards for all areas of life. There are plenty of pics you can use to express your thoughts.
Every time you click on a pic the app speaks it and you can arrange pic lines to get a full-on sentence. All the images are easy to understand so it suits for people of all ages. In case you can’t find a pic for something, you can always load your own one or take a shot with a cam.
Furthermore, you can record your own audio and attach the topics. The toll is cross-platformed so you can reach it on any device — from mobile to PC.
The app doesn’t require a web connection so you can use it wherever you are. You can also give your therapist or relative access to your boards to model it configures them if needed.
Avaz AAC
And lastly, Avaz AAC is an assistant tool that empowers non-verbal people to interact with others.
In the first place, this app covers both the training modules and the one for caregivers aka relatives, supervisors, or therapists. The app covers over 15,000 pics it can speak by your will. All the images are simply drawn, so they are understandable for all ages.
The pics cover all areas of life but you can always add your own ones. You may rather load a pic from your gallery or take a shot with a cam.
Herewith, you get to pick the communicator’s voice according to your gender and age. The app runs on smart techs that predict your next words and let you turn short phrases into sentences in secs.
You can add all the pics you use most at your faves and categorize them by themes for ways of navigation. Plus, you get to attach full-on sentences and phrases to particular keyboard switches if needed. There are different modes for variously skilled users so no worries about that.
Cboard AAC
This app is a must-have for people with speech disabilities. The software has all the necessary functions to communicate with others without any problems.
It is a powerful tool that utilizes pictograms and text-to-speech technology to help people express themselves and communicate effectively.
It features a set of pictograms arranged in categories such as emotions, food, and activities, among others. Users can customize the categories to suit their needs.
When a pictogram is selected, the app’s text-to-speech feature converts the image to sound, allowing the user to communicate with ease.
However, some users have complained that the app’s speech feature is not always accurate, resulting in miscommunication.
Others have reported that the app’s database of pictograms is limited, making it challenging to find the right image for certain words or phrases.
Anyway, there are a lot of positive comments that mention that this app is easy to use, has plenty of customizable categories, and has abilities to aid communication for individuals with speech disabilities.
Advantages:
- Free to download.
- User-friendly interface.
- Supports multiple languages.
- Has a variety of customizable boards.
- Designed for individuals with communication difficulties.
Drawbacks:
- Limited functionality compared to other AAC apps.
- Requires internet connectivity for some features.
- Does not have a built-in text-to-speech feature.
You may also check: 11 Best Heart Disease Apps of 2020 (Android & iOS)
Vocable AAC
Vocable AAC is an app that aims to facilitate communication for individuals who have difficulty with speech.
The app offers a range of different communication boards, each with a unique set of words or phrases that can be selected to create a message.
Users can customize the boards to suit their specific needs, adding or removing words as necessary. The app also offers the ability to create a personal library of frequently used phrases or messages, which can be accessed with a single tap.
Moreover, this app uses a color-coded system to distinguish between different types of words (e.g., nouns, verbs, adjectives), which makes it easier to navigate the communication boards.
However, the graphics can be somewhat basic and may not appeal to everyone.
Advantages:
- Facilitates communication for individuals with speech difficulties.
- Customizable communication boards.
- A personal library of frequently used phrases.
Drawbacks:
- Can be slow to respond.
- Limited language support.
