Basic Features Communication Customization Voice & Speech Accessibility AI Features Data Management Advanced Tips
Basic Features The Sentence Bar Your communication command center at the top of the screen – let’s explore how to use it effectively! Key Features: Displays your current sentence as you build it Shows word count and character count Tap the play button to speak your sentence Clear button removes all words at once Backspace removes the last word added Keyboard button opens text input for typing custom messages Step-by-Step Guide: Look at the top of your screen – that’s your sentence bar! Start by tapping any word from the grid below Watch as the word appears in the sentence bar Keep adding words to build your message When ready, tap the green play button to speak Made a mistake? Use the backspace to remove the last word Want to start over? Hit the clear button Helpful Tips: 💡 Pro tip: Double-tap the sentence bar for a quick clear! 💡 Bonus: Long-press the play button to repeat your last message Communication Grid This is where the magic happens! Your word grid is the heart of communication. Key Features: Each tile shows a word with an icon for visual support Tap any word to add it to your sentence Grid size can be adjusted from 2×2 to 5×5 in settings Words are color-coded by category for easier recognition Recently used words appear with a subtle highlight Favorites are marked with a heart icon Step-by-Step Guide: Take a moment to explore the colorful grid of words Notice how each word has a helpful picture Try tapping a word – see it appear in your sentence bar! Want to save a favorite? Long-press any word See the heart appear? That word is now in your favorites! Swipe left or right to browse different categories Find the grid too small? We can adjust that in settings! Helpful Tips: 💡 Start with a larger grid (like 3×3) and work your way up 💡 Color coding helps you find words faster – learn the patterns! Word Categories Organize your vocabulary into logical groups. Key Features: Basic: Common everyday words and phrases Actions: Verbs and action words People: Names, pronouns, and relationships Places: Locations and position words Time: Time-related words and concepts Feelings: Emotions and feelings Questions: Question words and phrases Food: Food and drink items Custom: Your personalized words and phrases Helpful Tips: 💡 Categories can be reordered based on your preferences 💡 Hide categories you don’t use frequently
Communication Quick Phrases Pre-built sentences for instant communication. Key Features: Access common phrases with a single tap Phrases appear above the word grid when enabled Customize quick phrases in settings Add your own frequently used sentences Organize phrases by context or situation Quick phrases can include placeholders for names Helpful Tips: 💡 Create situation-specific phrase sets (medical, school, home) 💡 Use quick phrases for emergency communications Favorites System Keep your most important words easily accessible. Key Features: Long-press any word to add/remove from favorites Favorites appear in a dedicated category Sync favorites across all categories Export and import favorite lists Favorites are highlighted with a heart icon Maximum of 50 favorites can be stored Helpful Tips: 💡 Regularly review and update your favorites 💡 Group related favorites together Recent Words Automatically tracks your frequently used vocabulary. Key Features: Last 20 used words are remembered Recent words appear in a special category Frequency tracking helps with predictions Clear recent history in settings Adjust the number of recent items stored Recent words sync with AI predictions Helpful Tips: 💡 Recent words help the AI learn your patterns 💡 Disable if you prefer manual organization Keyboard Input Type custom messages when pre-built words aren’t enough. Key Features: Tap the keyboard icon to open text input Full keyboard with autocorrect support Word prediction while typing Save typed phrases as custom words Switch between symbol and text modes Support for multiple languages Helpful Tips: 💡 Use keyboard mode for names and specific terms 💡 Combine typed text with symbol selection
Customization Custom Words & Symbols Make this app truly yours! Let’s add words that matter to you. Key Features: Add unlimited custom words Choose or upload custom icons Assign words to any category Create custom categories Import word lists from files Share custom words with others Backup and restore custom content Step-by-Step Guide: Ready to personalize? Let’s start! Go to Settings and find “Custom Words” Tap the “+” button to add a new word Type in your word (like a pet’s name or favorite place) Choose a fun icon or upload your own photo Pick which category it belongs in Save it and watch it appear in your grid! Want to share? Export your custom words to help others Helpful Tips: 💡 Start with family names – they’re used most often! 💡 Add your favorite foods, places, and activities 💡 Don’t forget nicknames and pet names! Themes & Appearance Customize the visual appearance of your app. Key Features: Light theme for bright environments Dark theme for low-light use Sage theme with calming green tones High contrast mode for visibility Adjust text size independently Custom color schemes available Icon style options Helpful Tips: 💡 Dark theme saves battery on OLED screens 💡 High contrast helps in bright sunlight Grid Configuration Adjust the layout to match your needs. Key Features: 2×2: Large tiles for easy targeting 3×3: Balanced size and content 4×4: More words visible at once 5×5: Maximum vocabulary on screen Adjust spacing between tiles Configure tile borders and shadows Portrait and landscape optimizations Helpful Tips: 💡 Start with larger grids and reduce as skills develop 💡 Use 2×2 for motor difficulties Button Appearance Fine-tune how buttons look and feel. Key Features: Adjust button size and padding Configure touch target areas Set button animation styles Customize press feedback Border styles and colors Shadow and elevation effects Icon size and positioning Helpful Tips: 💡 Larger touch targets help with motor challenges 💡 Reduce animations if they’re distracting
Voice & Speech Finding Your Voice Let’s find the perfect voice that represents you! Key Features: System voices in multiple languages Male and female voice options Child and adult voices available Adjust voice pitch and tone Regional accent options Download additional voices Preview voices before selection Step-by-Step Guide: Let’s find your perfect voice together! Navigate to Voice Settings from the main settings You’ll see a list of available voices Tap on any voice to hear a preview Like what you hear? Select it as your voice Want to fine-tune? Adjust the speed and pitch sliders Test it out by typing a message and hitting play Not quite right? Keep exploring until you find THE one! Helpful Tips: 💡 Take your time – finding the right voice is important! 💡 Try different speeds – slower can be clearer 💡 Consider matching age and gender when possible Speech Configuration Fine-tune how words are spoken. Key Features: Adjust speech rate (speed) Control voice pitch Set volume levels Configure word emphasis Pause between words Pronunciation corrections Speech queuing options Helpful Tips: 💡 Slower speech rates aid comprehension 💡 Add pauses for natural rhythm Multiple Languages Communicate in different languages. Key Features: Switch between languages easily Bilingual word sets Auto-detect language from text Translation features Language-specific symbols Cultural adaptations Regional vocabulary Helpful Tips: 💡 Set up multiple language profiles 💡 Use for language learning Personal Voice Use Apple’s Personal Voice or voice banking features. Key Features: Record your own voice samples Create a personalized synthetic voice Preserve your voice for future use Integration with iOS Personal Voice Voice cloning options Message banking features Voice preservation tools Helpful Tips: 💡 Start voice banking early if you have a progressive condition 💡 Record in a quiet environment
Accessibility Switch Access Control the app with external switches. Key Features: Single switch scanning Two-switch step scanning Automatic scanning options Adjustable scan speed Audio feedback during scanning Visual highlighting Custom scan patterns Helpful Tips: 💡 Start with slower scan speeds 💡 Use audio cues for blind users Eye Gaze & Dwell Communication with just your eyes – let’s set it up together! Key Features: Dwell time configuration (0.5-3 seconds) Visual progress indicators Calibration options Pause on movement settings Auto-activation features Gaze smoothing algorithms Compatible with eye tracking devices Step-by-Step Guide: First, let’s enable eye gaze in accessibility settings Start with a longer dwell time (like 2 seconds) Look at a button and hold your gaze steady Watch the progress circle fill up around the button When it completes, the button activates! Too slow? Too fast? Adjust the dwell time Enable “pause on movement” to prevent accidental selections Practice with larger buttons first, then try smaller ones Helpful Tips: 💡 Start slow and speed up as you get comfortable 💡 Take breaks – eye gaze can be tiring at first 💡 Good lighting and screen position make a big difference! Screen Reader Support Full compatibility with VoiceOver and TalkBack. Key Features: Complete VoiceOver support on iOS TalkBack compatibility on Android Custom accessibility labels Navigation shortcuts Gesture controls Audio descriptions Braille display support Helpful Tips: 💡 Practice VoiceOver gestures 💡 Customize verbosity settings Motor Accessibility Features for users with motor challenges. Key Features: Touch accommodations Hold duration settings Ignore repeat touches Tap assistance Gesture alternatives Large touch targets Reduced motion options Helpful Tips: 💡 Enable touch accommodations in iOS settings 💡 Use larger grid sizes for easier targeting
AI Features Smart Word Prediction Your AI assistant is here to help you communicate faster! Key Features: Context-aware predictions Learn from usage patterns N-gram language modeling Semantic associations Time-based predictions Personalized suggestions Prediction confidence scores Step-by-Step Guide: Start building a sentence as usual After adding your first word, look for suggestions See those highlighted words? The AI thinks you might want them! Tap a suggestion to add it instantly The more you use the app, the smarter it gets It learns YOUR communication patterns Morning time? It might suggest breakfast words! Keep using it – predictions get better every day Helpful Tips: 💡 Be patient – AI needs time to learn your style 💡 Correct wrong predictions to help it improve 💡 Use the app regularly for best results Grammar Assistance Helps construct grammatically correct sentences. Key Features: Automatic verb conjugation Plural/singular agreement Tense consistency Article suggestions (a, an, the) Preposition helpers Word order corrections Punctuation suggestions Helpful Tips: 💡 Enable for language learning 💡 Disable for free-form communication Contextual Intelligence Suggestions based on time, location, and context. Key Features: Time-aware vocabulary (breakfast, bedtime) Location-based suggestions Activity-specific words Conversation flow predictions Topic continuity Emotional context awareness Social situation adaptations Helpful Tips: 💡 Allow location access for better suggestions 💡 Train the AI with consistent use Adaptive Learning The app learns and adapts to your communication style. Key Features: Frequency-based learning Pattern recognition Phrase completion Word associations Personal dictionary building Usage analytics Continuous improvement Helpful Tips: 💡 Be consistent in your word choices 💡 Correct mistakes to improve learning
Data Management Backup & Restore Protect your customizations and settings. Key Features: Export all settings and custom words JSON format for easy sharing Scheduled automatic backups Cloud backup options Selective restore features Version history Cross-device sync Helpful Tips: 💡 Backup before major changes 💡 Keep multiple backup versions Privacy & Security Your data stays private and secure. Key Features: All data stored locally on device No tracking or analytics Optional cloud sync with encryption Password protection options Biometric authentication Data anonymization GDPR compliant Helpful Tips: 💡 Enable device lock for added security 💡 Review privacy settings regularly Managing Your Data Control and organize your app data. Key Features: Clear specific data types Reset to factory settings Export usage statistics Storage management Cache clearing Database optimization Data migration tools Helpful Tips: 💡 Regularly clean unused data 💡 Monitor storage usage Sharing & Import Share configurations with others. Key Features: Export word sets for sharing Import vocabulary lists Share quick phrases Configuration templates Community word banks Professional vocabularies Educational resources Helpful Tips: 💡 Share successful configurations with therapists 💡 Import specialized vocabulary sets
Advanced Tips Communication Partner Tips Strategies for communication partners. Key Features: Wait for complete messages Confirm understanding Model AAC use Respect communication attempts Provide vocabulary suggestions Support without taking over Encourage AAC use Helpful Tips: 💡 Practice together regularly 💡 Celebrate communication successes Efficiency Techniques Communicate faster and more effectively. Key Features: Use word prediction actively Master quick phrases Learn gesture shortcuts Utilize favorites effectively Combine typing and symbols Use abbreviations Create message templates Helpful Tips: 💡 Practice common phrases 💡 Develop personal shortcuts Troubleshooting Guide Solutions to common issues. Key Features: Voice not working: Check volume and voice settings Words not appearing: Verify category selection Slow performance: Clear cache and restart Sync issues: Check internet connection Missing words: Restore from backup Display problems: Adjust theme settings Touch issues: Check accessibility settings Helpful Tips: 💡 Keep the app updated 💡 Report persistent issues to support Best Practices Get the most out of your AAC app. Key Features: Start simple and build complexity Consistent daily use is key Customize for individual needs Regular vocabulary updates Practice in real situations Involve support team Track progress over time Helpful Tips: 💡 Set realistic goals 💡 Celebrate small victories
CareConnect 