Expressive - #AppMondayTAS

There has been quite an explosion of expressive communication apps for iOS in the past few months, from single message systems to full communication suites.  One such app is from Smartyears called Expressive.  As described by the author Expressive is:

Expressive was developed in order to improve the communication abilities of individuals with a communication disorder. It does not matter if an individual is having difficulty communicating due to autism, apraxia, or any other communication disorder, Expressive will give that person the ability to express themselves through the use of pictured images and corresponding audio.

It is designed to be a mid-level communication system, above static audio generating systems (like TapSpeak Choice) and below full communication suites (like Proloquo2go).  It allows individuals to easily navigate simple questions, places, people, verbs, feelings and basics.  There are quite a few built in phrases and messages.  The interface for adding new pictures/symbols is quite easy to use.  If you choose an application image the sound is provided for you, if you choose an image from your library you can add your own sound.

Navigation around the app is simple, a home and back button are provided as well as delete and add buttons.  You can turn off the edit mode in the Settings Menu on your iOS devices.  You can also choose between Male and Female voices in this area.  The app is responsive, even on older devices, and works well.  So if you are in the market for a mid-level communication device/app this is might be a good option for you.

At this time, Expressive is $29.99 and the developers let me know that an update is forthcoming adding more images to the app.

Patrick

Reviewed by Teaching All Students