Grace 4

Grace App - winner of the 2010 Irish Web Awards and United Nations World Summit Award Mobile.

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Grace App is an evidence-based picture exchange app designed to encourage and reward independent communication through the use of images. While created with and for people with autism, it can be used by anyone with a speech disability or delay. Grace App is designed to be owned and updated by the user, with minimum support from care-givers.

Grace App works by offering a selection of images in categorized folders where users can select a picture to add to the “sentence strip”. The user then shares the sentence with their communication partner who helps them to point to each card, reading the words aloud.

The default setting is for no sound; however, there is an option in Settings to select “Tap Card to Speak” for users who prefer a vocal output.

On handhelds such as iPod touch or iPhone, the device can be rotated to landscape to show a fullscreen sentence view for sharing and pointing. On iPad, simply tap the arrow to enlarge the sentence to fullscreen. There's also a choice of 3 card sizes for user preference and those with visual/mobility impairment.

Category folders contain a selection of pre-loaded images. Users can add their own images using the camera or access any saved and stored images in their photo library, including images saved from the web.

All images can be labeled with text, deleted, or rearranged to suit the individual user. You can add new Category folders, with a selection of your own photos. All Categories can be rearranged and renamed as required. Detailed instructions are available in the Guide to Grace App at http://www.graceapp.com.

Users can also learn about therapeutic strategies for developing other communication goals in the Guide. These include accepting and expressing “No, Wait” and “Asking for Help” There is also a section on communicating pain.

Grace App has been reviewed by senior speech and language therapists who say:

“Grace App is easy and quick to use and set up, it's easy to rename photo labels. Grace App is my favourite AAC app". KM - Speech and Language Therapist.

"I use Grace App with some of my clients who have difficulty communicating and need a system to augment their speech. One client, a school-aged child with Down Syndrome who has difficulty expressing himself using speech loves Grace