Dawn

How to choose an AAC app

There are dozens of AAC apps, and in screenshots most look like grids of pictures that talk. Many of the differences only show up after a few weeks of daily use. We make Dawn, one of the AAC apps for iPhone and iPad.

By the Dawn AAC team · Updated · 3 minute read
Not yet reviewed by a speech-language pathologist. How we write these guides.

How the words are organized

  • Core words up front. A small set of words such as I, want, go, more, not, help, what comes up constantly in everyday talk. Many apps put these on the main screen so a person can build sentences without opening folders. More in core words.
  • Words stay where they are. People using AAC learn word locations by motor memory, like touch typing. If an app rearranges buttons, or moves words as the vocabulary grows, they have to relearn them.
  • Adding words without moving others. An app that starts with a few big buttons should be able to add words in place as the person is ready, without switching to a different layout.
  • Grammar when it's needed. Can a person say went, going, dogs and bigger? For older children and adults this becomes important.

The voice

The person using the app and everyone around them will hear this voice a lot. Listen to several. Is there one that suits the person's age, gender and accent? Can a child have a child's voice? If the person is losing their speech, can the app make a voice like theirs, and does that need a separate service?

Speed

Tap a word, tap a sentence, and time it. Try it during a real conversation and notice how long speech takes to start. Ask whether speech depends on the internet; if it does, it will be slower on bad Wi-Fi and may not work at all without it.

Access: hands, eyes, switches

Can the user reliably tap the buttons at the size you'll need? If not, check for bigger grid sizes, hold-to-activate timing, ignoring accidental repeat taps, and switch scanning. On iPad and iPhone, Apple's own Switch Control and eye tracking work with many apps; ask whether the app has been tested with them.

Ways to say things besides symbols

Many people need more than one route: a keyboard with prediction for spellers, quick phrases for things said every day, and recordings of real voices. If you're choosing for an adult, make sure the app doesn't force a child's setup.

Working offline and privacy

Everything the person says goes through the app. Find out whether it needs an account, whether it uploads anything, and whether it works in airplane mode. The App Store's privacy label is a quick first check.

Backups and moving between devices

Hours of setup can be lost with a broken or lost iPad. Check how backups work, where they're kept, and how to restore on a new device. If several people share a device, look for separate profiles.

Cost and trying first

Prices range from free to several hundred dollars, as one-off purchases or subscriptions. Free apps exist and can be a reasonable place to start. If there's a free trial, use it with the person who will use the app, at mealtimes and on outings, not only in a quick test by an adult.

A quick checklist

  • OrganizationCore words on the main screen; words keep their place; new words go into empty cells.
  • VoiceSuits the person; children's voices if needed; option to use their own voice.
  • SpeedSpeaks straight away, including with no internet.
  • AccessGrid sizes, touch settings, switch scanning, works with eye tracking.
  • Other routesKeyboard with prediction, quick phrases, recorded messages.
  • PrivacyNo account needed; nothing uploaded; clear privacy label.
  • Backups and transfersEasy full backups; profiles for shared devices; import and export.
  • TrialA free trial long enough to use in daily life.

Trying Dawn

Dawn runs on iPhone and iPad. Its free trial lets you test it with the person who will use it, against this list.

Questions people ask

Should we get an app or a dedicated device?

It depends on the person and on funding. Dedicated devices are built to be tough and are often covered by insurance after an assessment; apps on an iPad or iPhone usually cost less and don't need an equipment order. Many families start with an app while a funded device is being arranged. A speech-language pathologist can help you decide.

Is it a problem to switch apps later?

Switching takes some relearning, because people learn where words are by feel, the way you learn a keyboard. Apps that support Open Board Format can carry some vocabulary between them.

Do we need an SLP before choosing?

You don't need permission to try an app, and there are no skills a person must show before starting AAC.1 A speech-language pathologist with AAC experience can save a lot of trial and error, especially around access and vocabulary, and may be needed for insurance funding.

Sources

  1. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (Practice Portal). www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/augmentative-and-alternative-communication
  • What is AAC?What AAC means, the different kinds, who uses it, and why speed and voice matter.
  • How to start AACSetting up AAC and using it with your child in the first few weeks.
  • Paying for AACWhat Medicare, Medicaid, schools and the NHS cover, and where apps fit in.
  • Offline use and privacyEvery voice, including one made from your recording, runs on the device. Dawn doesn't collect or upload your data.

Try Dawn on iPhone or iPad

Symbols, typing and saved phrases, spoken in a natural voice. Dawn can also build a voice from about eight seconds of your own speech.

Requires iOS 17 or later.