Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP. Over 36 years experience in AAC. OMazing Kids AAC and app consulting. Creator of several AAC Feature Matching resources (https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links/). Includes info about unique features to support Gestalt Language Processors
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP. Over 36 years experience in AAC. Experience using almost every AAC app on iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Chromebook and Windows devices + traditional Speech Generating Devices (SGDs). Creator of AAC-Related Resources & App-Related Resources. AAC Consulting & App Consulting.
Looking for other in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing the best AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.
Are you looking for a way to add short videos that can be viewed offline and visual scenes with hotspots to TD Snap? Come learn how to use Boardmaker 7 to create these and then use them in the integrated Boardmaker Activities. Don’t have a Boardmaker 7 subscription? No worries… you’ll also learn how to sign up for a free trial to create what you want.
• The importance of honoring Multimodal Communication
• Involving the individual in the process of customizing their AAC
• How to access a free trial of Boardmaker 7 / Boardmaker 7 Editor
• Tips for saving videos and images in Boardmaker 7 Editor
• How to use Boardmaker 7 Editor to create short videos and visual scenes with hotspots “activities” for use in TD Snap on an iPad
• How to upload what you create to the Snap Activities folder in your account on myBoardmaker
• How to access Boardmaker Activities in TD Snap
• How to create a button to open a specific Boardmaker Activity in TD Snap
• How to find training resources from Tobii Dynavox about learning to use Boardmaker 7
Note: This resource was updated on 5/29/24 to reflect changes that Tobii Dynavox made to TD Snap. As of 5/21/24, they no longer offer the general public the option to do a 1x app-only purchase of this app. It switched to a subscription-based model. The 1.35.1 app update for TD Snap on 12/4/24 added an integrated YouTube player. This is a nice option for teens and adults who need the alternative access of their Speech Generating Device to play YouTube videos for leisure. Playing YouTube videos requires an internet connection and that player is not secured. This is very different from those who want to use short video clips for communication and/or self regulation and need a way to play them reliably offline in a secure way. For those purposes creating Boardmaker Activities will continue to be the best solution at this point in time
Notes:
Boardmaker 7 Editor can only be used to create these Boardmaker Activities on a Chromebook, Windows computer or tablet, or a Mac. Unfortunately there is NOT a way to use Boardmaker 7 Editor to create activities on an iPad (there’s no Boardmaker 7 Editor iOS app and it won’t work in a browser on an iPad). See this website for device compatibility: https://goboardmaker.com/pages/boardmaker-7-help?tab=1.
You must be connected to WiFi in order to initially load a Boardmaker Activity in TD Snap. Then you’ll have the option to toggle on Offline Use for each activity. Offline activities are downloaded per device. If the Page Set is synced or shared to a different device, the download process must be repeated on that device to make the activities available offline.
My demo shows these being added in the Motor Plan 66 pageset in TD Snap. You can add buttons to open a Boardmaker Activity in any of the pagesets within that app.
My demo videos are Boardmaker 7 Editor on my Pixelbook Chromebook and TD Snap on my iPad 9th gen. If you are using a Mac or Windows device what you see on your screen may be a bit different than mine.
The ability to play the videos may vary based on the available memory & RAM on that device.
This research article has helpful considerations for selecting media for use in Visual Scenes and Video Visual Scenes: “Visual Scene Displays for Children and Adults: Using Case Studies to Bridge Research and Clinical Practice”, https://pubs.asha.org/doi/10.1044/2022_PERSP-22-00162
Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.
Let me know if you would like me to create a tutorial resource showing the exact steps for creating these using Boardmaker Editor in Boardmaker 7 for use in the TD Snap AAC app by Tobii Dynavox on an iPad.
Here’s a new video with a look at short video clips and visual scenes with hotspots that I’ve added in TD Snap on my iPad via the Boardmaker Activities integration: https://youtu.be/j192ff2f00M?si=h0u45-2HLhAiqs4A
I’ll be leaving the comments open on my video for a few weeks so folks can comment there.
For those who want just a quick peek at two of the examples of a Visual Scene + Video & a video, check out this very short video:
Being able to create these Boardmaker Activities with video clips or visual scene displays with hotspots requires access to Boardmaker Editor in Boardmaker 7.
I wasn’t able to figure out a way to do this with my Boardmaker v6 CD. I’m on my personal iPad that’s not on any type of device management system. If you are using a managed/locked iPad or SGD this may not work.
This works reliably in TD Snap AAC on my iPad. It was unreliable in TD Snap AAC on my Windows tablet (a Microsoft Surface Go 2). My best guess is it *might* work on a more expensive Microsoft Surface Pro with at least 8GB of RAM and larger storage. I have no way to know if this will work in TD Snap on one of the SGDs from Tobii Dynavox (it might require unlocking the device?)
Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.
Image ID: Screenshot of the cover image for this resource in my TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers) Store. Includes the icon for each app in the Apple App Store, the OMazing Kids logo and logos for TPT and Ko-fi. Date updated: 2/4/24.
Resource Expanded & Updated: The Feature Matching Chart for the Top 13+ iOS Symbol Based AAC Apps (2/4/24).
Weave Chat AAC has been added, it has a deeper dive into specific types of vocabulary within AAC apps, new features in these apps, etc…
Looking for other in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.
Those who have previously purchased it on TPT can download the most current version for no additional cost: https://bit.ly/AAC-At-a-Glance.
Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.
Resource Update: The Basic Feature Chart for Affordable and Free AAC apps & AAC-Related Apps (iOS, Android Google Play, Amazon Fire, Windows + a few Web-Based options) has been updated (11/11/23).
Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.
Resource Update: The Feature Matching Chart for the Top 12 iOS Symbol Based AAC Apps has been updated on 11/4/23. There is new info related to iOS 17, new features in AAC apps, a new row related to apps that support use of Personal Voice, a new row related to use of Emojis in these apps, etc… Those who have previously purchased it on TPT can download the newest version for no additional cost: https://bit.ly/SymbolBasedAACapps. Ko-fi subscribers will be able to access a copy on the pinned resource post: https://ko-fi.com/Post/Links-to-posts-about-most-current-feature-matching-F1F5C9DMD.
#AACapps #AACfeatures #ComparingAACapps
Image ID: Screenshot of the cover image for this resource in my TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers) Store. Includes the icon for each app in the Apple App Store, the OMazing Kids logo and logos for TPT and Ko-fi. Date updated: 11/4/23
Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.
Thanks to Learning in Hand for this cool tip! 🖌 Outline the contours of a picture with photopea.com. It worked great to add a border around some SymbolStix symbols. Get more info over on his post on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CSDEvYOtnq4/
Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.
It took quite awhile to find a case that I liked with a rotating stand for my Microsoft Surface Go 2. I bought it on Amazon: https://a.co/d/gMKBP4W. See my video for details:
I have it stored in a Vera Bradley Java Navy Camo “Baby Changing Pad” pouch. The front of it has a zippered pocket where I store the charging cord, plug and stylus. This item was on sale for a great price again in May ($19.60) so I purchased a third one specifically to store this device. It’s priced higher now but prices on Amazon change frequently so it’s something that you may want to save in your cart and watch for a good sale: https://a.co/d/dSPfFhM
A comparison of the sound loudness and quantity on a Microsoft Surface Go 2 & an iPad 9th gen (2:33):
Looking for in-depth AAC feature matching resources? See this blog post: https://bit.ly/5aacFeatureMatchingResources. That post also includes videos comparing AAC apps on various devices on various platforms.
Weave Chat AAC has added quite a bit more content and features and is now a robust AAC app that’s totally free. They offer apps on three major app stores: iOS, Google Play (Android) & Amazon.
How to add high quality Acapela voices to Android AAC apps
Want basic info about this app? Check out “Affordable and Free AAC apps & AAC-Related Apps (iOS, Android, Amazon Fire, Windows & a few web-based options)”: https://bit.ly/BasicAffordableAACchart.
Want an in-depth look at the Android and Amazon Fire versions of Weave Chat AAC? Check out this expanded resource: “Feature Matching Chart for Robust Android AAC Apps (Google Play & Amazon Fire)”: https://bit.ly/RobustAndroidAACappChart.
Updated this blog post on 8/12/23: That Android phone is still available on Amazon and is even a little less expensive now ($49.88). The case is still also available and is less expensive ($11.99). If you put the free Android version of Weave Chat AAC on it (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.weavechat.weavechat) you can have fairly robust pocket-sized symbol-based AAC for under $62 (+tax). The adult text-to-speech voices from Samsung & Google are pretty good. If you want Acapela voices, the Weave Chat AAC app and a few others allow use of the one you have purchased and set as a default within the Acapela app. That would be a way to add high quality child voices. Prices vary. I just purchased the child African American English voices (Tiana and Malik) for $7.99 each. The great thing is you only have to purchase the Acapela voices once and then can use them in any AAC app that supports use of them. I have previously purchased Ella & Josh (USA English) + Valeria & Emilio (USA Spanish). That app has voices available to purchase in several languages.
So for under $70 (+tax) you can have fairly robust pocket-sized symbol-based AAC with Weave Chat AAC using a high quality Acapela voice.
OMazing Kids AAC Consulting 