Re: Re: Proloqou VS Taptotalk

February 3, 2011

Hi ,

I don't know what stage Darwyn is at, but we just got verbal Victor for Aden and

it's actually working great. It's very basic but lets you add any picture you

want and then you record your own words. Aden figured it out in less than 5

minutes. And the best part is that it only costs $6.99 so it won't cost an arm

and a leg to try out.

Hope that helps,

Mom to Aden 7 (DS, ASD, ADHD) and Aren 4

________________________________

To:

Sent: Wed, February 2, 2011 12:47:13 PM

Subject: Re: Proloqou VS Taptotalk

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I've been researching the communication programs for Taptotalk versus

proloquo2go. These 2 seem most similar to PECs and most likely to grow with

Darwyn's needs. I know other parents are considering these, so I have some

questions and thoughts to share.

It seems the Tap2talk might be better for starting simple and then getting more

complex as Darwyn (6) grows up - also it seems relatively easy to use our own

photos or the PECS pictures he already knows. We have to pay $100 every year

(forever) to alter his " albums " , on the other hand it seems his " albums " could

be used on a Nintendo or ipad or iTouch or even more than one at a time. Also I

suppose if I didnt need to add anything for a year, we would not pay - but I

assume he's going to need new vocab every year. Tap2talk seems very versatile

and we don't lose it if he breaks the iPad.

On the other hand it seems if we download Proloquo, we can just get going right

away (although it looks rather more complex than he can handle yet. I'm assuming

I can simplify it easily. Has anyone simplified proloquo by removing most of the

options so its not overwhelming?

However, it seems that when (and I mean when, not if) the ipad is broken, we

lose the app and all. our alterations? Has anyone transferred proloquo from one

iPad to another or to an iTouch? I can imagine paying twice, but not having to

redo all the alterations.

Also, I saw some youtube videos where the proloqou seemed to freeze if not

tapped properly. We need a program that will take improper tapping (and some

licking)! Has anyone used either of these and had results like this? Or any

comments?

Lastly, are there any groups that anyone found that are particularly useful on

this decision? I looked online, but didn't find much useful (but I'm not a great

searcher). I'm looking for a comparison of the two programs. I'm betting some

speech therapy student is writing a thesis on this - anyone have that

connection?

Thanks,

February 3, 2011

Haven't heard of it before - I'll check it out too. Thanks

Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Re: Proloqou VS Taptotalk

Â

I've been researching the communication programs for Taptotalk versus

proloquo2go. These 2 seem most similar to PECs and most likely to grow with

Darwyn's needs. I know other parents are considering these, so I have some

questions and thoughts to share.

It seems the Tap2talk might be better for starting simple and then getting more

complex as Darwyn (6) grows up - also it seems relatively easy to use our own

photos or the PECS pictures he already knows. We have to pay $100 every year

(forever) to alter his " albums " , on the other hand it seems his " albums " could

be used on a Nintendo or ipad or iTouch or even more than one at a time. Also I

suppose if I didnt need to add anything for a year, we would not pay - but I

assume he's going to need new vocab every year. Tap2talk seems very versatile

and we don't lose it if he breaks the iPad.

On the other hand it seems if we download Proloquo, we can just get going right

away (although it looks rather more complex than he can handle yet. I'm assuming

I can simplify it easily. Has anyone simplified proloquo by removing most of the

options so its not overwhelming?

However, it seems that when (and I mean when, not if) the ipad is broken, we

lose the app and all. our alterations? Has anyone transferred proloquo from one

iPad to another or to an iTouch? I can imagine paying twice, but not having to

redo all the alterations.

Also, I saw some youtube videos where the proloqou seemed to freeze if not

tapped properly. We need a program that will take improper tapping (and some

licking)! Has anyone used either of these and had results like this? Or any

comments?

Lastly, are there any groups that anyone found that are particularly useful on

this decision? I looked online, but didn't find much useful (but I'm not a great

searcher). I'm looking for a comparison of the two programs. I'm betting some

speech therapy student is writing a thesis on this - anyone have that

connection?

Thanks,

February 4, 2011

Do you think he's less verbal because of the Vantage??

Sent from my iPhone

>

> Hi Kathy,

> I've come to the understanding that it doesn't matter what device our kids get

to help them communicate.....it's the quality of the training that they get to

use it.

> We were fortunate enough to start Drew out on augmentative communication at

the University of WI. There they tested him on many devices until they found

one that suited his needs. They decided that the Vantage was the best for him &

immediately started weekly sessions (1 day per week for 1 hour) to teach he & I

how to use it. The University allowed us to borrow one of their devices until

the Beckett program approved us & paid for his own device...so there was

never a time that he was without it once the training started. Every week I took

the information we had learned back to his school & showed his teachers, ST &

aides what we had learned. The company that makes the Vantage (Prenke Romich)

have support staff in every region that will come to hold teaching session for

the school staff, which we took advantage of once a month. From there, we used

the Prentke Romich website to come up with ideas for lesson plans, books to make

(mostly

> about Drew, his favorite subject), and even games that could be played using

the device. They have a wealth of info for all of their devices on the website,

and for every stage of learning, so we were never without ideas to keep his

interest growing.

> All was going great until we moved to St. Louis 2 years ago, and the new

school was not prepared for Drew or his device. I brought 2 large plastic totes

with all of his learning materials so that they wouldn't have to start over, but

due to ST changes, a maternity leave for his SE teacher, and the normal change

of RE teachers, the info was ignored in the shuffle. They dumbed down his device

so that they could learn it, but he then lost interest in it in the process.

We've changed schools 3 times in 2 years, trying to find the proper support he

needs, but he still continued to shut-down & lose interest in his Vantage. It

was then that I decided to try the i-pad, primarily due to the Pro2go app,

because I thought it would make him want to use a device again.

> The current school is teaching him on the device, but he is back to using it

only for basic info. The problem is the Pro2go app is soo new that the district

is " testing " it this year, & they felt Drew was too young to be part of the test

group. The instruction on the Pro2go website is pretty basic, and there are no

lesson plans or ideas for how to use it in a school environment. So it is up to

me, his SE teacher & PT to come up with ideas for lesson plans & programming.

I'm using the info & materials from Prentke Romich to help us through it. But

the i-pad is soo much easier to use than the Vantage (i.e. 1 button says a

complete sentence for Drew, whereas he was used to pressing 3 or more to make

the same sentence on the Vantage). He is just starting to show interest in

using it at home, but only because I have put some of his favorite movies on it

to reward him with when he uses it to communicate. There are NUMEROUS teaching

apps that we have

> also put on it, like letter tracing, counting/number sequences, books that

read to him & highlight the words being spoken, & classifying objects, etc. All

of them are FUN to look at (he's very visual) and also respond with positive

accolades when he does something right (another plus). But I still feel like

the training process is lacking, and only wish Pro2go had the support that

Prentke Romich gives.

> Lastly, when we purchased the i-pad for Drew I also bought the extended

warranty for it & then added it to our homeowners insurance just in case

something happens to it. I haven't had a problem with the Pro2go app freezing,

so am not sure if that problem is widespread.

> Here are my suggestions for you, before you decide upon the device you want

your son to use:

> 1. Have him properly tested by an EXPERIENCED augmentative device

facilitator.2. Have him tested on numerous devices & make sure he LIKES it

before you decide upon the device. 3. Make sure the device you decide upon has

continuing support & training for your son, for you, and all of your son's

school staff.4. Make sure your son's school staff is ready for the challenge!

Have it written in his IEP that they are required to continue on-going training

on his device & that they are responsible for making his lesson plans. The IEP

should also include how much time he spends on the device for educational

purposes & how much for basic communication needs, with exact goals for what is

expected . Also include in the IEP that you should be consulted/aware/trained

of everything they plan to teach him on it. 5. But make sure YOU are the only

one programming the device....you don't want everyone having access to doing it

as the info needs to be

> concise & from one person's thought process.

> If I think of anything else I've learned he HARD WAY, I will pass it on. Good

Luck. Drew started on the Vantage when he was 7. He will be 13 in 2 weeks, and

is less verbal now than he was at 7. Oh the lessons we learn.....guess that's

why this group is soo important!

> I wish you GREAT SUCCESS. Let me know how it goes!

> GerryMom of Drew, almost 13, DS/ASD & speech apraxia

>

February 4, 2011

Oh no! He would try to repeat what the Vantage said. I think he's less verbal

now due to teenage hormones/lack of interest in anything but what he wants to

do/coming out of depression caused by our move. But who really knows with

non-verbal kids???

I truly believe that all modes of communication push our kids to speak! From

sign to pecs to augmentative devices. I think Drew's current lack of

communication is more intentional....it isn't the norm.

February 4, 2011

Oh, that's hard. Teenage years are such a trial for us parents! Is anyone

helping Drew??

Sent from my iPhone

>

> Oh no! He would try to repeat what the Vantage said. I think he's less

verbal now due to teenage hormones/lack of interest in anything but what he

wants to do/coming out of depression caused by our move. But who really knows

with non-verbal kids???

> I truly believe that all modes of communication push our kids to speak! From

sign to pecs to augmentative devices. I think Drew's current lack of

communication is more intentional....it isn't the norm.

>

February 4, 2011

Pam and Gerri - fantastic info. Thank you. I think I'll wait to see what's up

with IChat and maybe see if other new AAC apps appear. Also I like the idea of

contacting the speech therapists at the local university too. Our elementary

school Speech therapist is not very good and has no idea about apps. We don't

use her much at all and everyone else at school is good. But I'm taking my time

deciding because Darwyn is doing great with his PECs binder because he was

trained exclusively and intensely for months by an interventionist that had

training in PECs. Then we insisted the school use PECs too (although school ST

was not keen) and they agreed and we insisted on an ABA trained aide (and we

sent our person in to train the aide in PECs). Since then school ST has had

basic PECs training but I don't ask her about any new technology ideas.

So, I'm taking my time switching to any electronic AAC device because Darwyn can

communicate with his binder. And I suppose I should take into account that our

kids don't like change! Sorry to hear that Drew's new school didn't work with

what he was good at - that's been our argument - use what Darwyn likes, not the

program the ST or school likes just because they know it well! I guess lots of

adults don't like change either.

On the other hand the PECs binder will get unwieldy at some point and we don't

take it out in public much and Darwyn likes the iPAd for games already.

I do agree that everything we use to communicate seems to encourage speech. He

will sign and make a verbal noise or " talk " when pointing to his PECs and he

seems to like the slightly monotone computer voice with apps like First Words.

Anyway any ongoing info about proloqou2go or other apps is greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for the detailed responses,

Sent on the TELUS Mobility network with BlackBerry

Re: Proloqou VS Taptotalk

Hi Kathy,

I've come to the understanding that it doesn't matter what device our kids get

to help them communicate.....it's the quality of the training that they get to

use it.

We were fortunate enough to start Drew out on augmentative communication at the

University of WI. There they tested him on many devices until they found one

that suited his needs. They decided that the Vantage was the best for him &