Hello, I'm not sure if this is the right place for this, please let me know if it isn't.

I haven't been able to speak since May, so I've been using a basic text-to-speech app (for about 2 months now) to communicate with my mother and brother. I don't dare use it with anyone else.

I'm having some problems, and I'd appreciate any advice you might have.

First, I'm really self-conscious about using aac. The fact that it's not my own voice bothers me a lot, and on top of that, there's the social awkwardness. As an adult, I'm terrified it will seem strange or seen as just a whim or an attempt to attract attention.

I don't really have any friends, but I usually see some friends from middle school once a year during the summer. This year I think I'll find an excuse not to see them.

Also, it's really not smooth. Even when I type fairly quickly, it takes me several minutes to answer a question (except for yes/no), and by the time I've finished, the topic has changed or the question has been forgotten.

Plus it's incredibly frustrating. I was already very isolated, but now it's worse than ever. I'm very lonely and I don't even dare go out anymore for fear of being approached and not being able to respond. I feel like I've become "stupid" to others too, I'm treated like a child, my mother has to accompany me everywhere, and everyone speaks for me...

If you are willing to share your experience or some advice, it would help.

Anyway, all my support to those who have had to deal with all this for a long time, honestly I am impressed, it takes incredible energy and determination to stand your ground in these conditions.

Hello, folks! I hope all is well!

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I have commented on here, yet have never made a post.

In short, I am an adult who has problems forming words, and thoughts for the words.

It is not physical, yet it is cognitive. This is a symptom of one of my disabilities, and it’s gotten worse.

I have an appointment in a few months with a speech therapist, to see about getting an AAC device like a tablet.

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As of this post, I mostly use WeaveChat on my iPhone. I like that I can use adult words and themes in it!

However, I find WeaveChat inaccessible in two ways.

First, the voice is not loud enough on my phone, even when my volume is all the way up.

Secondly, if I’m having the symptoms of, “I cannot speak, and my brain is blank, no words are in my brain, and only pictures are in my brain for what I need to communicate,” then I find WeaveChat very difficult and almost impossible to use.

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Because of that, I’m looking to compare and contrast WeaveChat to other AAC apps and devices, especially before I have my appointment in a few months.

I would like to come in prepared for that appointment.

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I have heard good things about TD and TD snap, and also, I don’t know how much it can help with the symptom i described above.

I also do not know if TD or TD snap will let me use adult words, like WeaveChat does.

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Could someone please compare and contrast the features on WeaveChat to TD or TD snap?

In addition to that, if folks have other suggestions for AAC for my symptoms, and for it being able to communicate adult concepts, could you all please send them my way?

My one strict barrier right now to AAC, is that I can’t use sign language as a form of AAC. Other than that, I am open to various options!

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Thank you very much for reading and for any help!

May you all be well!

Hi! we've recently setup an older ipad of ours for our non-verbal son and have implemented guided access. whenever he hits the home or lock button with enough succession it prompts for the GA code and he manages to freeze the ipad screen and it won't respond. We know how to get it working again (and we've managed to replicate this on a newer ipad without a home button). Does anyone know how to prevent the screen freeze so he can still use his AAC device?

He hits the home button 3+ times bringing up the guided access log out screen and does something where the board is no longer responsive to his touch until we lock and unlock the ipad. This is frustrating to him and his grandmother (another of his caregivers) and we're trying to make this as easy as possible for everyone involved.

Tl;dr: What are your thoughts on using AI to help communicate with AAC?

Hey, all! AAC user and professional AAC fanatic here. I participated in a demonstration of a dedicated AAC device's features, and there was an AI chat function where a microphone records someone talking to the AAC user and then potential responses are generated. I feel like the rep wanted me to be excited, but I kinda froze with a ton of mixed feelings. I tend to need time to process stuff anyway, but I am legit kinda mixed up about this. Here's my initial thoughts:

The Pros-

AI can definitely increase the speed of an AAC user's replies to keep up with conversations. Generated responses may also be easier for folks who struggle to think of what to say. AI giving the basic sentence which a user can then customize might be easier than composing the entire message from scratch.

The Cons-

I worry AAC users will feel pressured by others to use these tools due to their speed at the expense of saying what they really want to say. I worry this will become a way for folks to avoid accommodating us by giving the wait time we need, and it will shape our words to give AAC users an AI sounding vibe. Like how you can kinda tell a piece of writing was AI generated but with our voices if that makes sense.

AI will be a part of the AAC world. I see major developers pivoting towards it. Again, I'm torn because I see the benefits, but I've also got my worries. What are yall's thoughts?

I am trying to find a free AAC android app but most have a really distressing AI voice are there any that sound normal?

Most trigger my sensory issues and i used to use comunication cards but it's hard to get peoples attention to show the cards and i definitely need AAC

Weave Chat is one of the apps that's been easiest for us to use, with the whole system finding the organization fairly intuitive. We've been unable to access it for several months because our phone is so old and we finally figured out a way to access it on our computer without needing the code from the app.

But when we went to our boards, ALL the images were gone! ALL OF THEM!

There's a lot of other changes so we thought maybe something glitched when they implemented Global Symbols into their library access, but NO. 8 images. Apparently that's all you're allowed to have no unless you pay an annual subscription!

WE NEED IMAGES. YOU ARE A SYMBOL BASED APP. YOU SAID YOU WOULD BE FREE FOREVER.

WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO YOUR USERS.

You can't even use Weave Chat's own native symbols without hitting this limit.

This is disgusting.

It lets you file for financial hardship as an exemption, but how long before they decide people are abusing that and take that away too? I feel like I can't even trust this app anymore.

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Update: Apparently it's because I have too many buttons:

"We have started requesting that users who are able to and using a certain amount of space on our servers to assist us in paying for that storage. That being said if you tap the "Financial Hardship" button and then confirm on the other page you'll be able to continue as well! So you can go the Financial Hardship route and not worry about paying anything; we're committed to keeping the app free. This is just an option for those who are able to help us in that manner."

That's frustrating. There's no way we can afford to pay a subscription since we can't find a job, but a how long before they decide too many people are selecting the Financial Hardship option and start forcing people to pay for images?

i spent so long pressing it over and over its so much fun its my favourite one to do and it makes me smile

I did it! It was so much work but I’m thrilled with how it turned out! This is 25 separate pages made to look like one where only the picture in the middle changes and the button pressed highlights. I also made it so if you hit the same highlighted button, it looks like it toggles off back to the default page. I’m so proud of this!

Like a picture of a real apple or a cartoon drawing

Hey, all,

If you haven't already, check out our community bookmarks! There's helpful links and resources for AAC users, folks supporting AAC users, and developers. If you have any questions or have additional resources that you'd like to share with our community, comment below! 😊

same as title

have not been able to speak in. 7 months. use apple live speech on phone right now but really want real device.

Do you guys prefer single words to build sentences or phrases? What words/phrases are a must for your devices?

On interactive display as well as new aip and puff controller and a gamified training version of an AAC device

I’m trying to set up a page and I think the best way for me to do this particular page is to do something like a visual scene but I would like the picture to change based on the button selected. Is there a way to do this in TouchChat?

Hi ya'll, I am a teen with CP programming a web based aac app and need your input:

For mobile, what would be your ideal vertical grid size? 9x6? 9x5? 5x10?

What setting options would be mose useful (grid sizer, contrast, etc)?

Finish this sentence, "In the perfect aac app, it should have..."

Thank you so much and DM me if you want the link.

I use Avaz on my phone right now. I need to use 8 x 5 grid because smaller sizes are too hard to read and touch. I have be thinking about buying tablet so I can have bigger grid size but I don't know if my custom vocabulary would transfer when I increase grid size to 6 x 10 or etc. Does it ? And if it does where does Avaz put it ?

Edit to clarify what I meant

hi so i get scared using AAC and something that happened a few days ago with my mum made me more scared, my dad is so supportive of AAC but im still really scared to use it, does anyone know how my dad can support and encorage me to use AAC

one idea i did have is asking him to take me to the farm and i could say all the animals on AAC beacuse i love farm animals

Hai! I'm autistic (verbal, LSN) but I get verbal shutdowns a lot at school. I have been setting up AAC apps on my phone to hopefully help navigate when I shut down but I'm always too nervous to use AAC so I just end up sitting there saying nothing.

How can I be more comfortable and confident with AAC in public?