Testimonial by Dr. Preeja Balan - SLP, Founder

I am a Speech-Language Pathologist, founder of Octave Speech Centre, (Bangalore). My work revolves around improving communication in individuals with various impairments. 

As per International standards, 1 in 33 individuals are diagnosed with autism. To add to it further, more than 40% of autistics individuals are nonspeaking and a significant percentage of them are minimally speaking. That means they need to rely on an augmentative or alternative communication (AAC) system to communicate and to access many other opportunities that can improve their learning and living outcomes. Autism is just one among many other developmental (Intellectual disability, cerebral palsy etc) and acquired conditions   (stroke, degenerative conditions etc) that require AAC

I am actively involved in the field of Augmentative and Alternative Communication. AAC is any method of communication (like gestures, picture boards, or apps) that helps people who have speech challenges, to communicate their thoughts, feelings, ideas, connect with people and live more independently. 

I have known the Avaz team for over 14 years, since 2011, even before the launch of the first version of their app in 2012, and have closely followed their journey ever since. I’ve had the opportunity to engage with them in multiple capacities and have mentored them across various areas. Over the years, I have seen the app evolve on various fronts, empowering tens of thousands of speech-impaired individuals in India and around the world by giving them a voice and a powerful means to communicate.

On the product front, I have beta-tested the app and provided feedback in their initial versions, and collaborated with the team on creating an online manual for Avaz and AAC implementation. I have also reviewed several research papers submitted by the team and contributed to refining their course outlines and training content — including programs for SLPs, special educators, and parents. Additionally, I’ve supported their hiring process for in-house SLPs for teletherapy, and moderated a parent awareness session during AAC Awareness Month in October.

Through my long-standing association with the Avaz team since 2011, I can confidently say they are deeply committed to raising AAC awareness and adoption in India. Their efforts span online resource creation, designing and conducting structured training programs, free webinars, and consistent submission of research papers. They actively seek and incorporate feedback from professionals, users and their families to improve both their product and services, and we've often discussed implementation challenges faced and brainstormed strategies together to increase adoption across the country. They actively participate in national and international conferences — not only to spread awareness about AAC and Avaz, but also to stay informed about global developments in the field. The team consistently engages with thought leaders in the global AAC community, seeking feedback and integrating it meaningfully into their product. They are committed to continuous improvement, regularly rolling out updates and leveraging cutting-edge technologies, including AI, to enhance both the product and the services they offer. 

 As a professional, it has given a 360 degrees transformation to my practice. It has provided us as professional an array of features that can be easily customized thus enhancing intervention process. For instance,  the option to choose picture icons vs Keyboard is a thoughtfully designed feature that caters to both immediate and future needs. 

What makes Avaz a truly invaluable tool is not just its excellent features, but the impact it creates. There are numerous success stories of Avaz users who were previously nonspeaking and considered among those who do not have anything worthwhile to speak. But when introduced to Avaz, they described the  ability to communicate using it as ‘cathartic’ and today Avaz can boast of providing avenues to portray their skills with some being a blogger, author, entrepreneur and empowering many more which was once thought impossible. 

It has truly been a pleasure collaborating with such a passionate and purpose-driven team that innovatively uses technology, to achieve their vision of giving every child a voice to be heard. 

Dr Preeja Balan

SLP and Founder of Octave Hearing and Speech Clinic, Bangalore