INSTRUCT_RERConAAC vs IssieVoice

Create short trainings using research backed teaching methods quickly. The app leads the user through creating a checklist of the steps necessary to complete a task and adding video models for each of those steps. INSTRUCT was built to answer the problem that communication partners are often unfamiliar and untrained in AAC, so they preempt opportunities for communication and participation. Current training approaches for partner training are generally inefficient (e.g. one-on-one training) or ineffective due to not being personalized or limited in scope and reach. Our answer is this user-friendly app for creating partner trainings to teach partners AAC strategies. We do this by prompting the user to break a strategy down into step by step instructions creating a checklist and to add video demonstrations of each step. This app has bene evaluated for usability of the app and effectiveness of the trainings we are prompting users to make. We are still waiting on data for usability, but the trainings have bene shown to significantly increase the partners' strategy use and significantly increase successful interaction with someone who uses AAC. Many of the trainings will be made freely available via an online library currently in progress. URL will be added once the online library design has been finalized. This application was developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90REGE0014) to the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (RERC on AAC). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This application does not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

IssieVoice is a text-to-speech communication app that enables users to convert written text into spoken messages in a simple, fast, and accessible way. The app is designed for children and adults with complex communication needs who use typing to express thoughts, needs, feelings, and ideas. IssieVoice promotes participation, independence, and self-expression across a wide range of everyday, social, educational, and vocational settings. In addition to text-to-speech functionality, IssieVoice includes a variety of tools that support efficient and effective communication while allowing personalization to meet each user's unique needs. Key Features • Instant text-to-speech output of typed messages • Save frequently used messages for repeated use. • Quick access to saved messages directly from the keyboard. • Word prediction to support faster typing. • Customizable keyboard based on individual needs and preferences. • Simple, user-friendly, and accessible interface. • Suitable for use at home, in educational settings, therapeutic environments, and the community. About the Developers IssieVoice was developed by the Technology Center at Beit Issie Shapiro in collaboration with SAP Labs Israel. The app is part of the Issie family of applications, a suite of apps developed and adapted to support the communication, social, and learning needs of children and adults with disabilities.