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
Easy to use independently: Yes
Number of exercises:
Version:
Access:
Record Results:
Evaluation:

VASTtx keywords

Supplier: https://www.itherapyllc.com/vast

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
Easy to use independently: Yes
Number of exercises: Large
Version: American English
Access: Touchscreen
Record Results: No
Evaluation: Can author/customise, Clinical trials, Developed with SLT, Prompts/cues given

VASTtx therapy samples

Supplier: https://www.itherapyllc.com/vast

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
     
Easy to use independently:
Number of exercises: Large
Version: American English
Access: Touchscreen
Record Results: No
Evaluation: Can author/customise, Developed with SLT, Prompts/cues given

VAST songs 1

Supplier: https://www.itherapyllc.com/vast

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
Easy to use independently: Yes
Number of exercises: Small
Version: American English
Access: Touchscreen
Record Results: No
Evaluation: Clinical trials, Developed with SLT, Prompts/cues given

Penfriend XL

Supplier: http://www.penfriend.biz

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
Easy to use independently: Yes
Number of exercises:
Version: UK English, American English, Australian English
Access: Keyboard, Mouse
Record Results: No
Evaluation: Free trial, Tutorials

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

     
Easy to use independently: Fairly
Number of exercises:
Version: UK English
Access: Keyboard, Mouse, Other input, Touchscreen
Record Results: No
Evaluation: Can author/customise, Tutorials

Musatcha color filter

Supplier: http://www.musatcha.com/software/ColorFilter/

Brief description

  • A color filter which puts a tint on the computer screen to make text more readable
  • The filter can be configured to use any colour or opacity

Who could benefit

  • People with visual difficulties
  • People who struggle to see normal computer screen
     
Easy to use independently: Very
Number of exercises:
Version:
Access:
Record Results:
Evaluation:

NaturalReader 10

Supplier: http://www.naturalreaders.com

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
Easy to use independently: Yes
Number of exercises:
Version: UK English, American English
Access: Keyboard, Mouse, Touchscreen
Record Results: No
Evaluation: Free trial

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
Easy to use independently: Fairly
Number of exercises:
Version: UK English, American English
Access: Keyboard, Mouse, Touchscreen
Record Results: No
Evaluation:

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
Easy to use independently: Very
Number of exercises:
Version: UK English, American English, Australian English
Access:
Record Results: No
Evaluation: