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
   

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

• A basic ‘line’ guide
• Isolates lines of text at a time. Can select the bar width to 25%, 50%, 75% or 100% of screen width and set the slot height to the required font size

Who could benefit

• People who struggle to read text when it is in large chunks due to reading or visual difficulties.
• People who skip lines of text

Type of exercises & brief description             

• Practise of 21 consonant phonemes progressing to phoneme production in initial position of word/phrase
• The user is expected to produce the sounds in unison with the model provided
• They can watch their own production of sounds simultaneously if their device has a camera
• Sounds are organised into sound families and contrastive sounds

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues: Video and audio clips of oral movements

Comments:

• It is recommended that headphones be worn to do the exercises
• For a fee, user can send own phrases to the company for them to create conversation scripts
• Can designate specific exercises to be completed
• Only consonant phonemes provided

Type of exercises & brief description             

• Practise of speech sounds for apraxia of speech & other motor speech disorders
• Building speech –  to practise basic speech patterns & build up to sentence length utterances, (includes basic  functional phrases)
• Using speech – to practise continuous speech (includes phrases for the phone, & at a restaurant)
• Creating own speech samples
• The user is expected to produce the sounds in unison with the model provided
• They can watch their own production of sounds simultaneously if their device has a camera

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues: Video and audio clips of oral movements

Comments:

• It is recommended that headphones be worn to do the exercises
• Success relies on many, many repetitions so user needs to be motivated to do this kind of therapy
• For a fee, user can send own phrases to the company for them to create conversation scripts
   

Type of exercises & brief description             

• Practise of 10 songs to encourage spontaneous and automatic speech
• Songs chosen to practise variety of initial & contrastive sounds
• Songs chosen to practise different rhythms, pace & rates

Error handling: None

Prompts/cues: Video and audio clips of oral movements

Comments:

• It is recommended that headphones be worn to do the exercises
• Male & female model examples

Brief description

• Reading & writing tool designed for children but can be very helpful for people with aphasia who need help with writing & spelling
• Word prediction (can be personalised)
• Word & phrase banks by topic or A-Z (can be personalised)
• Written or picture supported word banks
• Hear words before selecting
• Listen back to what you have written
• Make voice notes to rehearse a sentence before writing it

Who could benefit

• People who have some spelling but who need writing & spelling prompts
• People who have no spelling but who would like to write letters/cards
  
   

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

Type of app & brief description       

• Attach voice recordings to your photos.
• When you press on a photo, the voice recording speaks out so you can explain your photos and use them in conversation if your speech is affected.

Comments/N.B

• Free

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