Communication Aids

See also Computer Hardware and Software and Computer Peripherals

• Informational Resources
• Vendor Products and Services
• Publications for Purchase

Informational Resources

• International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication
  Dedicated to improving the quality of life of every child or adult with little or no functional speech.
   
• Society For Alternative & Augmentative Communication
  National association specifically designed to address the needs of persons who are either severely speech impaired or unable to speak.
  
  
• Pippy
  This company seeks to provide easy-to-use, affordable intervention materials to support children and adults in their functional use of augmentative/alternative communication systems.
   
• Connecting Young Kids (YAACK) Home Page
  Covers issues related to AAC and young children.

Vendor Products and Services

• Ability Research Products
  This company offers products such as ActionVoice and AbilitySpeaker

• Able Net Inc.
  This company offers a variety of products including communication aids.

• ABA Materials
  Produces CD-ROMs with color images that parents can print cheaply as flash cards to teach speech, language and communication to kids with Autism and other developmental delays and difficulties.

• Adaptivation
  Products include a number of different types of communication aides, ranging from one push button aides to more versitle aides. Products are well suited to individuals with cognitive impairments.

• Assistive Technology, Inc
  This company offers products such as MultiVoice Speech Synthesizer and LINK Portable Talking Keyboard

• Attainment Company
  Manufactures portable communication aides and portable memory messengers, along with a number of educational products.

• Augmentative Communication Consultants, Inc.(ACCI)
  This company represents over a dozen manufacturers of augmentative communication and other assistive technologies, offering demonstrations, workshops and consultation.

• Aurora Systems Inc.
  This company offers software products for learning disabilities, augmentative communication, and speech disabilities.

• Blissymbolics Communication International
  The system of Blissymbolics is composed of over 2,000 graphicsymbols which can be combined and recombined in endless ways to create new symbols. Blissymbols can be used on simple communication boards mounted on wheelchairs, on dedicated electronic devices with synthetic speech and within computer software.

• Crestwood Company
  This company offers the Crespeaker -- a portable handheld talking device.

• Deafworks
  This company offers a variety of products for those who are deaf or hard of hearing: alarm clocks, TTY, TTY Screener, TTY Accessories, Wireless Signallers, etc.

• Don Johnston Incorporated
  This company offers educational products for those with reading and writing disabilities/struggles. Their products include "Write Out Loud" — a talking wordprocessor software program.

• Enabling Devices/Toys for Special Children Inc.
  This company seeks to improve the quality of life for those with disabling conditions. It is an innovative developer of assistive and adaptive technologies for the physically challenged -- including a wide range of Augmentative Communication devices.

• Great Talking Box Company
  This company offers portable augmentative communication devices

• Gus Communications, Inc.
  This company offers speech output and computer access software. The software is available in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish (Latin American) versions.

• Hear-More
  This company offers offers products for the deaf and hard of hearing such as alerting devices, alarm clocks, vibrators, smoke detectors, TTY units and accessories, etc.

• HITEC Group International, Inc.
  This company offers specialty items for the following: TTY's and Accessories, Telephone Amplification, Headsets, and Accessories (Amplifiers, Specialty Phones, Emergency Care), Loud Phone Ringers, Caller I.D., Alerting Systems, Clocks and Wake-up Devices, Assistive Listening Devices, Hearing Aid Batteries, Television Assistance, Smoke Detectors, Speech Assistance, Videos, Perfect Voice, Companion Service, Listening Systems (FM), Listening Systems (Infrared), Bathroom Safty Products, Pool Lifts, Car Safety, Mobile Amplification Systems, Etc.

• KidsAccess, Inc.
  This company offers Eye-cons -- customizable, reusable stickers for visually organizing a child's world. Eye-cons can help teach daily school or family routines, sequencing and categorization, language concepts, and more.

• LAB Resources Catalog
  This company offers a variety of computer assistive technology products — including several communication aids.

• LC Technologies, Inc.
  This company offers eyetracking products — such as the Eyegaze Communication System and the Eyegaze Development System.

• Made By Mom Creations
  This company offers the Portacom System which is a carrying case and management system for augmentative and alternative communication users.

• Maxi-Aids Products
  This company offers a variety of products for individuals with special needs including: Blindness Products, Low Vision Products, Talking Products, Computer Products For the Hard of Hearing, Dressing Aids, Kitchen Aids, Writing Aids, Communication Aids, Bathroom Accessories, Eating Aids, Bedroom Accessories, Wheelchair Accessories, Book Stands, Mobility Aids, Etc.

• Mayer-Johnson Company
  Products consist of many different assitive technology devices, including Speaking Dynamically Pro - a speech output communication program that allows you to use a Macintosh computer as a communication device.

• Metroplex Voice Computing
  This company offers Speech Recognition Products.

• Prentke-Romich Company
  This company offers augmentative communication devices, computer access products, and other assistive technology for people with severe disabilities.

• Rehabtool.com
  Helps children and adults with disabilities enhance their lives, increase their independence and productivity, and gain greater social inclusion through the use of leading-edge assistive technology.

• Semantic Compaction Systems
  This company offers Minspeak -- a pictorial system used in augmentative communication.

• Toby Churchill Ltd. — United Kingdom
  This company offers communication aids for those who cannot speak — such as the Lightwriter.

• Vocally
  A voice activated telephone dialer that enables you to dial the phone by simply saying the name of the person you wish to call.