Tag Archives: TouchChat with WordPower

Creating a “text only” set up for kids in symbol-based AAC apps (updated 4/25/22)

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I’ve seen several posts recently from pediatric SLPs looking for text-based AAC options for pretty young children. I had several patients like that on my caseload who preferred not to have symbols but the true text-based AAC apps didn’t have the vocabulary or age-appropriate voices that they needed.

This video shows how you can adjust the settings in 4 symbol-based AAC apps to turn them into a text-based set up. There are time stamps so you can jump to each app.

0:00 Intro
0:45 – Proloquo2Go
1:21 – TouchChat with WordPower
1:52 – CoughDrop
2:36 – TD Snap

The pros to doing this are having access to the age-appropriate vocabulary and age-appropriate voices.

All 4 of these apps have a keyboard area and 3 of them can access the iOS keyboard.

**** Important TouchChat Info (4/29/22): I just encountered a glitch with the TouchChat with WordPower app (version 2.36.0). I had toggled off “Show Icons” to demo a text only setup. When I tried to toggle back on the icons that toggle button would not work. I tried a Forced Restart but it didn’t resolve the issue. So I backed up all of my customized Vocab Files, deleted the app, reinstalled the app and imported all of my Vocab Files. I’ll be including this caution when folks ask me about using a text-only setup in this app until the app developer fixes the glitch.

Update about the TouchChat glitch (5/2/22): I heard back from TouchChat Support and they asked for a picture of all of my settings in the app since they hadn’t been able to replicate the issue. I had already deleted and reinstalled the TouchChat with WordPower app on my iPad. So I didn’t have any way to know what the combination of settings were that caused it or if it was an odd glitch that might have happened when I downloaded the most recent app update. Good news though… I just tried the Hide All Icons and now I’m not having the glitch anymore. So deleting and reinstalling the app seems to have resolved the issue.

Update 4/25/22: There’s a setting in GoTalk Now to toggle on “Hide All Images” that creates a text only setup

Want in-depth info about more features in robust apps? See this AAC feature matching resource: 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

TouchChat with WordPower: a visual guide to getting started (new TPT product)

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This visual guide walks you through the initial set up and customization process for the TouchChat with WordPower AAC app.

*** There is one topic per page with visuals ***

It is perfect for those who are brand new to the app and want screenshots for every step in the initial set up, tips on choosing a vocabulary file and customization options to help buttons stand out.

Video overview:

Available for purchase on my TPT store: https://bit.ly/3rDRcT1

Want more specific details about this product?

It is a 40 page PDF that covers the following areas:

• Setting the course

• Presume Potential

• Multimodal Communication

• Involving the child to foster ownership

• Begin with the end in mind

• Core & Fringe Vocabulary

• Importance of having access to a keyboard area

• Tips for choosing a Vocabulary File

• The screen that will be seen during set up

• Screenshots and info about four robust vocab file options that are recommended

• How to copy a vocab file

• Providing the “opportunity” to try a robust vocab file

• Adjusting the settings to help the buttons stand out on the screen

• How to change the Symbol Skin Tone

• Choosing a voice

• Areas on the Home Screen

• How to find the “How To” manual within the app and on the TouchChat website

• TouchChat Users Group on Facebook

• Resources and free webinars on the TouchChat website

• Webinars specifically for parents/caregivers

• Resources on the Saltillo website

• TouchChat’s YouTube Channel

• The last page of the PDF has the link to an unlisted YouTube video (11:08) that’s provided to supplement this resource

If you want links to be clickable, please view the PDF in the free Xodo app (https://www.xodo.com), Books/iBooks app or other PDF viewer.

Have questions? The best way to reach me with any questions is via messaging on the OMazing Kids Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/. That way messages don’t get lost among the spam in my e-mail.

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

Personal Professional Facebook Page (linked to OMazing Kids): https://www.facebook.com/angela.moorad (adding “friends” who have a direct role in AAC or Assistive Technology – AAC / AT app or product developers, AAC / AT consultants, SLPs who specialize in AAC, other professionals who specialize in AAC or AT, etc.)

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

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

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

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

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

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amoorad1

Tech Tutorial: How to Add Symbols and GIF Videos to WordToob, GoTalk Now and TouchChat (includes access to my Google Drive folders with cropped symbols, GIF videos & the GoTalk Now communication book file) – updated 12/1/22

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Update 12/1/22:

I deactivated that resource on TPT. Despite having step by step instructions it was a bit too complicated and I was getting way too many questions about it. It was also a bit of a mess trying to share access to the Google Drive where I had stored the symbols and GIF videos.

I did upload the Core Board with GIFs that I made in GoTalk Now to the Private Sharing area in their Online Gallery. 

If you have either GoTalk Now or GoTalk Now Plus, feel free to message me on my OMazing Kids Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/. I’d be glad to share the code and you would be able to download that and the GIF videos are already embedded.

Please only request it if you have GoTalk Now or GoTalk Now Plus. Unfortunately the free GoTalk Now Lite or inexpensive GoTalk Start can’t access the Online Gallery or import a file.

———————————

Archived original post:

Quite a few folks asked how I did this after I posted about it on social media on 7/1/21.

YouTube:

Facebook: OMazing Kids page, also in the AAC for the SLP and AppPeeps groups

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CQztIkHsJfo/?utm_medium=copy_link

So I decided to make this tutorial and offer it on my TPT store: *** deactivated this resource ***

Recurring subscribers on my Ko-fi site have free access to this resource as part of the subscription. See the post at https://ko-fi.com/post/Tech-Tutorial–includes-video-tutorial-files-wit-T6T557PXT

This tutorial package includes:

* A handout (3 page PDF)

* Access to a Tutorial Video (12:34, unlisted on YouTube) that shows the whole process for cropping symbols, finding GIFs, converting the GIFs to videos, how to save them, how to add those to buttons in WordToob, GoTalk Now and TouchChat, the pros and cons of each of those options, etc…

* Access to a secured Google Drive folder with all cropped symbols and GIFs converted to videos used to make the 84 button board in WordToob plus a few extra videos used in GoTalk Now and TouchChat

* Access to a secured Google Drive folder with the GoTalk Now Core Board with GIFs .gtbz file that can be imported into GoTalk Now or GoTalk Now Plus (plus info about how to get my hack for importing a single page book into the GoTalk Now Lite app)

Updated 12/18/21: You can use this website to turn a portion of a YouTube video into a GIF: https://gifs.com. Thanks to Sarah Gregory for this hack:

Have questions? The best way to reach me with any questions is via messaging on the OMazing Kids Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsAAC/. That way messages don’t get lost among the spam in my e-mail.

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

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

Personal Professional Facebook Page (linked to OMazing Kids): https://www.facebook.com/angela.moorad (adding “friends” who have a direct role in AAC or Assistive Technology – AAC / AT app or product developers, AAC / AT consultants, SLPs who specialize in AAC, other professionals who specialize in AAC or AT, etc.)

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

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

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

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

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

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amoorad1