Advanced

A memory game like the 80's game of 'Simon'

Repeat the sequence of colours by touching the rubies on the screen

Good sequencing and recall exercise

Brief description

• Free, text to speech app. You type in text and it reads it aloud.
• You can save your messages to use again,  instantly, without having to re-type your message
   

Voice recorder to record your own speech

Record reminders

Record conversations (e.g. at the Dr) to remember what was said and to play back later

Send recordings via email

Talking word processor (speaks out letters, words, sentences)

Talking spell checker (identifies potential mistakes and offers alternatives which you can listen to before selecting)

Talking dictionary (simplified definitions given which you can listen to before selecting)

Homophone checker (alternatives suggested with a definition to aid selection)

Who could benefit

• People who struggle to write long sentences
• People who make frequent spelling and/or grammar mistakes

Brief description

• Free text to speech program
• Works in Microsoft programs, webpages, PDF files and emails
• No copy and paste required: uses its own task bar
• Can also magnify text and change the font colour, style and size to aid reading

Who could benefit

• People who struggle to read
• People with visual difficulties

Brief description

• Word prediction (in any web & Windows application)
• On screen keyboard
• List of up to 12 word predictions
• Can customise the dictionary to improve prediction
• Text to speech facility to hear the words predicted before selection
• Screen magnification
• Can listen back repeatedly to the sentence being composed
• Examples of word useage (for homophones)

Who could benefit

• People who can spell the first 2-3 letters of a word

Brief description

• Speech recognition program
• As the user speaks into the microphone, the speech is automatically turned into text
• Can read back &/or listen back to what has been typed

Who could benefit

• Someone with good speech & listening skills but compromised spelling &/or reading skills

Comments

• Need to train the program to recognise your speech
• Noise reducing microphones work best
• Requires good cognitive skills to remember commands & adapt speaking rate

Brief description

• Available as an app and/or software
• Word prediction (uses grammar smart word prediction & handles phonetic spelling, letter omissions & reversals)
• List of up to 9 word predictions
• Can customise the dictionary to improve prediction
• Text to speech facility to hear the words predicted before selection
• Can listen back repeatedly to the sentence being composed
• Customiseable, topic based on-screen word lists  to aid writing
• Use in social media, email, word processing documents

Who could benefit

• People who can spell the first 2-3 letters of a word

Brief description

• Word prediction, speech recognition & screen reader
• The program predicts to aid spelling, gives examples of word useage, reads aloud text on the screen (what you’re typing or what you’re reading).
• Can also use speech recognition to ‘type’ in words.
• Can customise the dictionary to improve prediction
• Screen reader, prediction & speech recognition works within all programs/web pages (e.g. can use within email, social networking sites & web searches)

Who could benefit:

• People who can spell the first 2-3 letters of a word before getting stuck
• People who can spell words but sometimes find it easier to say a word

Comments

• All parts of the program work on PC. Mac users only have access to the word prediction & screen reading parts of the program, not the speech recognition part
• Switch accessible only if using Wivick connection cable
   

Type of exercises & brief description             

• Practising conversations
• e.g.
•     turn-taking
•     listening to conversation partner
•     staying on topic
•     communication aid use
• The ipad starts a topic of conversation and you can practise your responses by replying, commenting, asking questions.

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues:

• Written phrases or pictures
• Spoken words or phrases
• The ipad prompts when it is your turn to respond

Comments/N.B

• Can customise conversation topics and content
• Would need someone to customise the topics and vocabulary to be most useful for someone with aphasia