Get your AAC solution back-to-school ready! Start by updating your device or app to the latest software version, then explore these additional features from across the Accent®, NovaChat®, Via®/apps product lines. Make the most of your assistive technology for academic and communication success!
Available in WordPower® and MultiChat 15 vocabularies on your NovaChat or Via device as well as your TouchChat® app, this feature allows parents and members of the school team to record and save messages to play back on a Home News or School News button. These buttons are located through the Groups > News page. You can also save a message from the speech display bar (SDB) to a button on that page.
Perhaps you as the caregiver have information regarding your child’s health or morning struggle that would help the school team navigate a potential challenge. Or perhaps the school team has fun news about the day’s activities to share with the home team. Communication between all members of the AAC team can help the child holistically and with language development.
Your vocabulary file on your NovaChat device can manage two conversations. This may be helpful if you have started a message but are then asked a question. Or if you are a fluent communicator hanging out in a group setting. With this feature, you can toggle back and forth between your two conversations through a numbered icon on the right side of your speech display bar. You are pausing the first speech display bar, so you don’t have to delete it, and going to a second message/speech display bar. Upon return, your first speech display bar will resume where you left off. Watch the video tutorial and then set up this feature in Settings > Speech Output.
Accent devices with NuVoice® software have internal and external controls for managing class work such as online research, writing papers, accessing Google™ Docs, and more.
Check out the InputStick computer controls accessory for NovaChat devices. This feature wirelessly connects your communication device to a computer so you can use your familiar WordPower vocabulary as a keyboard. NovaChat communicators can now create documents including school assignments or explore their interests digitally. Pack the small USB into a backpack and bring it back and forth, or purchase one for each location. Learn more about the InputStick for your student’s growing independence and watch the video tutorial.
Within your NovaChat settings menu is a feature called Button Message Pop-Up that allows words that have been selected by button activation to enlarge on your screen. This Transition to Literacy (T2L) feature emphasizes the spelling of the word connected to the icon to help transition the symbol to a word.
WordPower and Words for Life® vocabularies include phonics pages. Page sets include letters and the corresponding sounds they make. These are important for early learners to practice using so they can later learn how to use those sounds to create words. Using the phonics pages with nonspeaking communicators is a great way to experiment with sound play while working on beginning reading skills.
The Whiteboard feature available on NovaChat, Via, and apps can act as an alternative pencil for your students. Giving them an additional way to interact with the full alphabet encourages literacy growth.
Unity and LAMP Words for Life vocabularies on Accent devices have a feature called Button Boost that allows for icons to boost or magnify on the screen upon button selection. Use this feature for teaching during therapy time or choose to always leave on depending on the needs of your communicator. Turn Button Boost on and off through Vocabulary Builder feature in Empower.
High-contrast files are available in select vocabularies and symbol sets for those who may benefit from this visual support. Reach out to your PRC-Saltillo consultant for more information.
Check out the new magnification feature for single buttons when using switch scanning on your Accent device with Empower®. For example, when scanning row/column, buttons within the selected row will magnify one at a time, so they are easier to see and simple to follow. The increased button size will help visually especially for those who have larger vocabulary grids. Turn this feature on in the settings menu (Menu > Toolbox > User Settings > Cursor, Dwell & Selection Feedback) and adjust border, fill, and magnify options to your personal preference.
Available in all three iOS apps (version 2.46 or newer) on your dedicated Via device or personal iOS device as well as your Accent device with Empower® software, the movable cursor in the speech display bar helps you edit mistakes with ease rather than deleting everything in the display and starting over. This feature works by either placing a cursor with your finger or using buttons in the vocabulary to move the cursor. You’ll have the option to move your cursor between characters, words, and sentences.
Available in all PRC-Saltillo devices and apps, word prediction helps AAC users communicate faster and more efficiently. With learning word prediction, you’ll have the option of using a static or learning word dictionary when using word prediction on your keyboard. Words being predicted will be based on the frequency of the words you use. You’ll also be able to add, delete, or edit these words in the settings menu. Simply turn on learning word prediction in the settings menu to get this feature working for you.
If you’re looking to set and track communication goals this school year, Realize Language™ is a web-based service that gives you powerful ways to monitor, measure, and maximize a child’s use of their AAC system. Realize Language seamlessly collects, organizes, and displays device or app data and presents the results in easy-to-understand graphic formats. As weeks and months progress, you'll gain better insight into a child's communication development. Try it for free for 30 days or sign up for an annual subscription ($9.95) and celebrate your student’s AAC progress.
Keep reading to learn about classroom and curriculum supports for back-to-school success with AAC.