Let's Talk About "MyTalkTool"

The benefits of technology in the classroom is becoming clearly evident to us as a society. However, something that is not talked about nearly as much is the use of technology in special education. Assistive technology can help break down the barriers for people with disabilities and allow them to reach their full potential.

In particular, an application I discovered called MyTalkTool is a phenomenal app that  is helping to make the school environment a more suitable environment for students with special needs and disabilities. MyTalkTools is a next generation AAC app (communication app) that helps people with communication difficulties say what they want with sequences of words, sounds and images. ALS, cerebral palsy, autism, traumatic brain injury, stroke or Parkinson's disease are a few examples of diagnoses that may hinder an individual's ability to communicate. A bit of background about the app is that MyTalkTools was created for the creator's son, Michael. He was born with Nager Syndrome, a rare condition that affects hearing, speech and other faculties.  They tried several communication tools, but we were never fully satisfied. They found that it was difficult to personalize the content on the applications. It was hard for Michael to express needs and feelings, much less his true personality. When he would meet someone, the AAC device drew negative attention. The very tool that was supposed to connect him to the world was helping to isolate him.

When the iPhone came along they saw a smart, affordable solution. The iPhone was familiar and fashionable. The design eliminated the stigma of traditional communication devices. This is huge in a school environment, as younger children do not want to feel "singled out" or different from their peers. Students can choose from a variety of images, symbols, videos or text to speech audio files to communicate what they would like to say to their teachers and fellow classmates. Not only does applications like MyTalkTookls help children do better in school, but it gives them a greater quality of life and psychological motivation to be there alongside their peers.

CatherineC@NU