Communications vs CardTalking

“Communications” is an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) application that designed specifically for Autistic people. The goal of this application is to assist Autistic people with speaking difficulty as well as improving their vocabulary skill. Remodeling our application after Picture Exchange Communication System (PECs), a universal methodology of teaching speech and communication to Autistic people, we carefully designed an application to build up child’s communication from foundation. First part of our application will focus on communication by using a single word or picture. The second part will teach children to construct as well as communicate with full sentences. This application is not only limit to people with Autism. People with down syndrome and language disability can also benefit from this application as well. This project is a joint collaboration between True Corporation and Autistic Foundation Thailand. We work closely with autistic teachers, specialists as well as parents and children to craft out a customized learning solution for Autistic Children. By using our applications closely with parents and teachers, it is expected that autistic children will develop essential skills that are important to live a normal life. “Communications” is part of True Autistic application series which also include “Daily Tasks” and “Trace & Share”. Each application focuses on improving different aspect of autistic children skill.

CardTalking(former name is Blossoming) is a visual support tool for autism children, include First-Then Board, Visual Schedule, Visual Instruction, Reinforcer Choice Board and PECS Board. Parents or teachers can design special courseware to support or train child based on theire own requirement. There are lots of cards and courseware examples built in the App. And users can expand them unlimitedly. User can share cards after simple register/login. More functions and user guide as below: 1. This App is only support iPad/iPhone. Author have no play to develop version for other platforms. 2. First page is for child. Only courseware in use will be listed. 3. Parents or teacher can enter settings by shake iPhone/iPad, or triple clicking the screen with 3 fingers. Before the settings, one simple question is needed to prevent child to use it by mistake. 4. Materials are orignal version for all cards. Courseware is for sepcial trainning purpose. And the cards in courseware are from materials. 5. There are 5 kinds of coureseware: PECS Board, First-Then Board, Visual Schedule, Visual Instruction and Reinforcer Choice Board. 1) PECS Board is for language training. Child's operation is draging (or pressing, depends on the settings) the card needed to the sentence strip above, and then clicking the check button in top-right. Please read PECS introduction in the end of this page before you use it to train child. 2) First-Then Board to tell child 'xxx firstly, then xxx'. eg: wash hands firstly, then have lunch. 3) Visual Schedule defines the schedules of one day, or steps of some action. eg: steps of washing hands. a) Open the tap; b) Make hands wet... 4) Visual Instruction shows one card and one command to child. 5) Reinforcer Choice Board let child to choose one reinforcer as award in DTT. 6. The times can be used for card in PECS is settable. 'No Limit' means the card will back to box after check button clicked. But cards in 'Daily' can be used only one time everyday. 'Daily' is used to control the quantity of snacks or games child wants. 7. Parents or teachers can set operation mode for PECS courseware . There are two options, 'Drag' and 'Press'. if 'Drag', child need to drag the card to sentence strip. if 'Press', child only need to press the card, and it will fly to sentence strip automatically. 8. The layout of some coursewares is customizable. It can be 1x1, 2x2, 3x3 or 3x5. You can put some blank card into courseware if needed. 9. Teachers can prepare different coursewares for different children. Click the Edit button in courseware list page，and then coursewares will be draggable. The coursewares in not used(hidden) section won't appear in first page. 10. The App has some built-in cards. Parents and teachers can add his own classifications and cards, or edit existing ones. 11. While editing card, click the existing picture can take photo to replace it. 12. Sharing card is appreciated. 13. The built-in cards are from Internet. If it infringe your copyright, please tell me. 14. The coureseware and cards added by you are stored in your device only. Please don't uninstall this App, or they will lost. 15. Please don't use this App for other purpose. More about PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picture_Exchange_Communication_System