Here is a comparison of the top 10 AAC Apps, based on feature mapping
- compiled by Angela Moorad, Omazing Kids
Top 10 iOS Symbol-based AAC app feature matching chart on Teachers-Pay-Teachers (paid resource)
Why should I choose Avaz or what makes it unique, compared to other AAC Apps?
This is not a detailed feature-by-feature comparison of Avaz versus other AAC apps. But this lists some of the unique features of Avaz that stand out, that are mostly not present in Proloquo and other popular AAC apps like TouchChat, Sonoflex etc.
1. Avaz is very quick to customize on the fly.
It has a couple of unique features for customizing on the go:
- Adding multiple words and images at one go (in picture mode). You just give a list of words to Avaz and voila ! The app adds all the icons with respective images, color codes and word types automatically within seconds! Click here for more -> How to add multiple items?
- Searching the web and add copyright-free images from within the app. You don't have to leave the app to go for a Google search to download photos from the web, but you can do it from right within the app! Click here for more -> How to search the web and add images
2. Has a Powerful keyboard mode
Here are a couple of special features that make the communication much easier for the child using the keyboard:
- Powerful phrase-based prediction with Picture support. The uniqueness is to have a picture based support for the Text mode, which makes the transition from pictures to text much smoother. Click here for more -> How does Prediction work in the keyboard mode?
- Phonetic word prediction (in keyboard mode ). This is a great assistance for poor-spellers - e.g. the word "phone" gets predicted even if the user tries to spell it starting with "fon.." Click here for more -> How does Avaz assist with Spell check?
- This is one of the most useful and unique features. You can take a printout of the entire Avaz vocabulary that can serve as a low-tech option for the child to make his "voice" available to him always, regardless of the technology availability. Click here for more -> How to convert Avaz vocab as a PDF and print
4. Multi-lingual support
Avaz offers limited support for multiple languages - as offered by iOS.
- You can set up Avaz to use the Apple keyboard (through iOS Settings) for editing the Picture vocabulary
- You can also set up the voices for language support. Click here to see How to change the language for audio and keyboard in Avaz.
- Click here to see What are the languages supported by Avaz?
Robust vocabulary for Pragmatic Communication and expression
- Avaz offers three levels of inbuilt vocabulary sets (levels 1,2 and 3) that can be completely customized, depending on the child's needs.
- The vocabulary sets are pragmatically organized - i.e., the vocabulary organization encourages and facilitates a wide range of pragmatic communication and expression - e.g. greetings, expressing an opinion, asking a question, giving a response, commenting, protesting, refusing / rejecting, labeling, making a joke, agreeing / disagreeing, clarifying, instructing, expressing feelings etc. The organization hierarchy makes it easy to implement the above pragmatics while being used by the parent as well as the child. The vocabulary progression through the levels ensures consistent word locations, without disrupting the motor pattern that has already been learnt by the child.
Related articles:
Top 10 iOS Symbol-based AAC app feature-matching chart - compiled by Angela Moorad (Omazing Kids AAC Consulting) .
Note that the above is a paid resource. It is an extremely exhaustive comparison and compilation of the apps. It is available for sale on Teacher-Pay-Teachers store - Top 10 iOS Symbol-based AAC app feature matching chart on Teachers-Pay-Teachers