Augmentative and Alternative communication devices for head-on communication

A touch screen or a picture board are 2 simplest AACDs. These AAC devices, touch screens or a picture board that uses pictures or symbols of typical items and activities that are used in a person’s daily life. 

If a person touches the image of a glass, it indicates that he is asking for a drink. Such customized picture boards can be extended depending on the person’s interests, also considering age, education, and occupation. Devices like keyboards, touch screens, and sometimes a person’s partial speech can be used to communicate required words. There are devices that employ a text display outward. Where the display panel naturally faces externally so that 2 persons can communicate while sitting face to face. To make the conversation much faster and easier spelling and word prediction software can be used.

Advanced variety of Speech-generating devices can translate words or pictures into speech.  Some models can allow users to choose from various differing speeches, like male or female, adult or child, and regional pronunciations. Some tools provide a language of prerecorded words, while others provide unlimited language, producing speech, as words are typed in.

 Personal computers that can be converted into speaking devices using software programs are also available. 

What AACDs are available for telephonic communication?

For years, hearing impaired persons have been using telecommunication devices or test telephones called TTY or TDD machines for communication through the phone. Same technology has been used by people with speech difficulties. A TTY machine functions with a typewriter keyboard which displays typed conversations printing out on a paper or readout panel. Callers usually type messages to one another over the system, or in the absence of a TTY machine use the national toll-free telecommunications relay service. In the relay service a communications assistant serves as a mediator between both the conversing persons. With the new telecommunications relay service which helps the user place phone calls through Keypad, laptop, personal digital assistant and cell phone the TTY machines have become a thing of the past. 

Other new system uses are voice recognition software and a video clips library depicting sign language decoding a signer’s text, also it’s able to translate spoken words into sign language or text.

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