Tag Archives: personalizing AAC

Visuals for Choosing and Customizing an AAC Voice

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A voice is a very personal thing. It represents the essence of who we are and how we are heard. All AAC users should have the opportunity to be involved in choosing a voice for their AAC system, adjusting it (rate, pitch and volume), adding intonation or tone, and choosing different voices for different situations.

Watch the preview video:

The 34 page printable PDF includes: 

  • Basic info about why this is important.
  • Options for custom personalized voices and ways to add intonation and tone of voice.
  • Use of unique accents.
  • Visual supports for choosing the age of voice, speed, pitch & volume.
  • Visual supports for choosing child, teen and adult USA English voices (Acapela, Almagu, Cereproc, Ivona & iOS). Includes all voice choices on one page for each age category and larger cards that can be cut apart and used on choice boards.
  • Visual support for choosing another type of English voice for those who may prefer a unique voice with a UK, Australian or Canadian accent.
  • Tips for use + a link to a 6 minute unlisted YouTube video where I do an overview of the resource and give additional ideas for involving AAC users.

Notes: This resource is specifically about voices and options available for USA English in robust iOS AAC apps available in the USA App Store. This printable resource does NOT contain any sound or voice output. It is intended to be used as a visual support alongside an AAC device or AAC app as you explore voice options and voice customization settings with that AAC user. Please keep that individual’s preferences in mind as to whether or not visuals would be helpful.

Available on TPT: https://bit.ly/AACvoiceVisuals.

Looking 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.

Looking for more AAC resources? Check out the Resource Links page here on my blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links

Have a question? The best way to reach me is via Facebook messaging over on my OMazing Kids page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC, OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

• Teachers Pay Teachers Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Omazing-Kids-Aac-Consulting

• YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/amoorad1

• Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/omazingkidsaac

• OMazing Kids AAC Consulting Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

• AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/

• GoTalk Now AAC & GoVisual Visual Scene Apps – Ideas and Sharing Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/GoTalkNowAACappGroup

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omazingkidsaac

• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad

• Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amoorad1

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamooradomazingkidsaac

• AppRaven AAC App Collections: https://bit.ly/AAConAppRaven

• Blog: https://omazingkidsllc.com / Resource Links page: https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links

Don’t Let Perfect Be the Enemy of Good … jump on in and start AAC

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AAC is as much an art as a science. There’s lots of trial and error. Lots of tweaking or combining things to meet unique needs. And user’s needs change over time. There’s no one “best” or “one size fits all” system, app or device. So it’s important to just dive in and start somewhere. Don’t let “perfect” be the enemy of good. It’s better to get something done imperfectly than to do nothing perfectly.

I love seeing videos and pictures of how others have customized AAC to meet unique needs. I think that’s why I’m active in so many different AAC related groups on Facebook. Those examples get my creativity flowing.

I don’t recall a time that I ever just used an AAC app or SGD just “as is”. I always personalized it.

I love to tinker with things and come up with creative solutions. I can tell you based on over 30 years of experience as an AAC SLP, there is no one “best”, “right” or “one size fits all” way. Not even for users with the same diagnoses. There are too many variables and above all the individual preferences of that user and their family.

Some older teens and young adults preferred to use more than one option and the freedom to pick what worked for them in that moment.

I also mash together options like using keyboard extension apps within AAC apps that allow access to those. That opens up a whole world of possibilities for adapted keyboards, calculator keyboards, whiteboard keyboards where the user can draw to communicate, etc.

Want to learn more about the features in AAC apps in order to know what the possibilities might be? Check out the Feature Matching Chart for the Top 11 robust iOS symbol-based AAC apps:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Feature-Matching-Chart-for-the-Top-11-Robust-iOS-Symbol-Based-AAC-Apps-6867853

Have a question? The best way to reach me is via Facebook messaging over on my OMazing Kids page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC, OMazing Kids AAC Consulting

Teachers Pay Teachers Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Omazing-Kids-Aac-Consulting

YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/omazingkidsaac

OMazing Kids AAC Consulting Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/

AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/

GoTalk Now AAC App – Ideas and Sharing Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/GoTalkNowAACappGroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omazingkidsaac

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/amoorad

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amoorad1