Theory based

Verbal word finding exercises for 103 nature words based on semantic feature analysis.

A picture is presented for the person to name. 8 levels of cue are available (including phonemic, initial letter, descriptions).

The exercises encourage semantic questioning (what type of thing is it? what does it do? etc).

The many levels of cue would be useful to communication partners to cue them into helpful strategies to adopt to aid word finding

There is no option to record own speaking attempts

Stimuli to be presented can be specified from the 106 items to work only on specific items if required

% scores are recorded

4 bundle app containing Comprehension Therapy, Naming Therapy, Writing Therapy & Reading Therapy for people who want to work on all 4 areas of language

Look at each app's details individually for more information on what each one contains

Spoken word to picture matching. Written word is also presented.

Click Yes or No to say if the word matches the picture.

Developed with SLT: Yes

Theory based: No, based on clinician experience

Record own speaking attempts: N/A

Correction of own speaking attempts: N/A

Easy to use?: Yes but can be confusing because sometimes when you click on 'No', the computer says 'Yes' as the reward for a correct response.

Customisation/personalisation: No

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues given: None

Record results: Yes

Tutorials: Yes, online

Free trial: Yes but not the complete program

Support: Via Livechat or the suppliers can take over the user’s PC. All support takes place 9am-5pm New York time.

Comments:

• The online subscription allows access to all the modules available so as the user progresses they don’t need to purchase new modules. It feels like an app when downloaded on an ipad
• The CD version has more functions than the internet version
• Remote access to results is possible as long as the SLT has the user’s login & password.

N.B:
    
    Voice is American and computer generated
    No visual rewards for correct answers
 

Supplier: http://www.parrotsoftware.com 

Designed to elicit basic to high level conversation.

Can be used for eliciting verbal or written language.

Can be used to work on any area of conversation: eliciting opinions, making descriptions, making inferences, giving definitions, reminiscing, talking about emotions, making predictions, telling stories or even working on fluency and speech clarity.

Could be used for self practise if the person has a means of recording their speech/writing or could be used during therapy sessions with the therapist.

Results (as rated by the therapist or conversation partner) are recorded and can be emailed.

Can customise the written content to elicit specific types of language or work on particular language areas.

The user can choose to have the questions read aloud.

Free trial available through Conversation Therapy Lite app

Supplier: Tactus

Type of exercises:

• Multiple choice written word to picture/spoken word matching
• Stimuli can be presented as pictures or with spoken words

Developed with SLT: Yes

Theory based: No, based on clinician experience

Record own speaking attempts: N/A

Correction of own speaking attempts: N/A


Easy to use? Yes

Customisation/personalisation: No

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues given: None
 

Tutorials: Yes, online

Free trial: Yes but not the complete program

Support: Via Livechat or the suppliers can take over the user’s PC. All support takes place 9am-5pm New York time

Comments:

• The online subscription allows access to all the modules available so as the user progresses they don’t need to purchase new modules. It feels like an app when downloaded on an ipad
• The CD version has more functions than the internet version
• Remote access to results is possible as long as the SLT has the user’s login & password.

N.B:
    US terminology/vocabulary
   

Type of exercises:

• Figurative language/expressions

Developed with SLT: Yes

Theory based: No, based on clinician experience

Record own speaking attempts: N/A

Correction of own speaking attempts: N/A

Easy to use?: Yes
 

Customisation/personalisation: No

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues given: None

Record results: Yes

Tutorials: Yes, online

Free trial: Yes but not the complete program

Support: Via Livechat or the suppliers can take over the user’s PC. All support takes place 9am-5pm New York time.

Comments:

• The online subscription allows access to all the modules available so as the user progresses they don’t need to purchase new modules. It feels like an app when downloaded on an ipad
• The CD version has more functions than the internet version
• A download version exists for $19.95 per program but works only on Windows, not mac  
• Some of the expressions are very American

N.B:
    
    Voice is American and computer generated
    No visual rewards for correct answers

Type of exercises:

• Written word to picture matching for verbs

Developed with SLT: Yes

Theory based: No, based on clinician experience

Record own speaking attempts: N/A

Correction of own speaking attempts: N/A

Customisation/personalisation: No

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues given: None

Tutorials: Yes, online

Free trial: Yes but not the complete program

Support: Via Livechat or the suppliers can take over the user’s PC. All support takes place 9am-5pm New York time

Comments:

• The online subscription allows access to all the modules available so as the user progresses they don’t need to purchase new modules. It feels like an app when downloaded on an ipad
• The CD version has more functions than the internet version
• A download version exists for $19.95 per program but works only on Windows, not mac
• Remote access to results is possible as long as the SLT has the user’s login & password.

N.B:
    No visual rewards for correct answers
    Also works on Kindle fire and Nook tablet

Type of exercises & brief description             

• Spoken word finding of 418 common nouns (animals, body parts, clothing etc) and unlimited personalised items
• 4 modes: practise, test, picture-word naming & eliciting of adjectives to describe the noun
• 10-100 items can be selected per exercise
• In practise mode, the items are presented and a variety of cues are offered to aid spoken naming. In the other 3 modes no cues are presented
• In description mode, the user is encouraged to use a variety of adjectives to describe the noun depicted to aid them retrieve the spoken word
• If using independently, the user must monitor themselves whether they have named the item correctly or not
• A tutorial is provided to demonstrate how the app can be used

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues: In practise exercises, semantic, first letter, written word &  phonemic cues to choose from

Record results: Results are shown after the session with % of items named correctly with and without cues. It also highlights the cues used. Results can be emailed to a designated address.

Comments/N.B

• There is only one version for UK, US, Aus and there are a few American words (e.g. zipper, fries, cookies)
• The results recorded are reliant on the user self monitoring and knowing whether they named the item correctly or not. There is no facility for recording speech attempts and the app itself does not determine level of accuracy. This app would therefore not be appropriate for independent use by someone with poor self monitoring
• FREE TRIAL available through the languagetherappy Lite app

Supplier: Tactus
 

Type of exercises & brief description             

• Fill the blank, anagrams, picture spelling, spelling to dictation of nouns
• 3 levels (easy/medium/hard) - the harder levels provide more letters to choose from in the anagram exercises
• Can choose 10-50 exercises per session and 3-10 letter words
• Can designate upper/lowercase display

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues: Written and spoken word given as cues on request. In the harder levels, there is a 'hint' button which reduces the number of letters to choose from and will provide the initial letter if the user makes 3 errors.

Record results: Can email results to designated  email address. Details include score and which cues were requested.

Comments/N.B

• Written instructions provided on how to use the app. These would not be accessible to someone with compromised reading skills
• FREE TRIAL available through the languagetherappy Lite app

Supplier: Tactus

Type of exercises & brief description             

• Phrase matching, sentence matching, phrase completion, and sentence completion tasks for adjectives (82 items), nouns (260 items), verbs (107 items) with the choice of 10-100 exercises per session
• All exercises provide 4 multiple choice answers.

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues: None

Record results: Results are presented at end of session in % format, but cannot be reviewed later. They can be forwarded to an email address.

Comments/N.B

• There is only one version for UK, US, Aus and there are some American words (e.g.' store' in place of 'shop') however due to context, this shouldn't be a problem.
• Some of the answers require the user to 'infer' an answer from the context which could be useful for higher level readers.
• FREE TRIAL available through the languagetherappy Lite app
   

Supplier: Tactus