Nestled in Portland’s Back Cove, ALLTECH is a Spurwink program dedicated to providing technological solutions for the educational, communication, daily living, and workplace challenges experienced by people of all ages and abilities.
Darren Smart, ALLTECH’s Program Manager, is a Licensed Occupational Therapist (OTR/L) and certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP). As the Program Manager, he connects community members with technology, such as mobility aids and communication devices, that helps them lead independent lives. One example is speech-generating devices (SGDs).
About Speech-Generating Devices
Many students in Spurwink schools use SGDs. On the most basic level, SGDs can be single-word devices, usually generating a simple “yes” or “no” response. Other devices use insertable photo cards to access a wider, yet still limited, range of words and phrases. Pictured below are two single-word devices, as well as two examples of photo-based devices.
Smart noted that devices with physical buttons, like those pictured above, may be preferred by people with mobility struggles. The ability to feel where each individual button rests makes these devices more accessible for those who need something tactile.
Many individuals also use tablets with apps that house their vocabulary. Proloquo2Go is one of the most popular apps for this purpose. The app includes more than 27,000 recognizable images symbolizing words and phrases. It also allows users to insert images of their own families and friends, helping them fully customize their vocabulary. Users can choose to have anywhere from 9 to 144 buttons shown on the screen at once, catering to many different accessibility needs. Additionally, the app uses voices in English, Spanish, French, and Dutch to accommodate speakers of multiple languages.
Photo: Proloquo2Go – AAC app with symbols – AssistiveWare
Some devices, including iPads, have optional accessibility settings that can track eye movement and select buttons on the screen according to where an individual’s eyes land. This is especially helpful for those who may not be able to physically press buttons or interact with a screen.
Though the device and app may be a hefty initial investment, Smart asserted that tablets might be more sustainable than devices with buttons in the long-term, as they allow users to add more words rather than buying an entirely new device every time their vocabulary expands.
Commitment to Care
To help individuals with disabilities learn to use assistive technologies, ALLTECH collaborates with Maine CITE, a free resource for Mainers that provides training and demonstrations. Maine CITE also operates a lending library of assistive devices, enabling people to try out devices and find the right fit before buying one. To learn more and access the lending library, please visit AT4Maine.org.
Spurwink’s core value of commitment shines through ALLTECH. With the help of professionals like Smart, ALLTECH offers creative solutions for community members by offering access to innovative, gently-used technology. Thanks to ALLTECH, Spurwink continues to meet members of the community where they are and address their unique needs with high-quality care.
For more information or to begin your journey with assistive technology today, please visit spurwinkalltech.org.
