Note: Devices and software are overlined.

DTA Vendor Cubby: DTA is sponsoring a "Vendor Cubby" by donating a small area of our offices to be used by different assistive technology manufacturers' representatives each month. At least once a month, representatives from Dynavox Technologies, Saltillo, and Tobii/ATI come to work in our Vendor Cubby. You can make appointments with the individual vendors for training and product demonstrations. Please contact us for contact information for your favorite vendors.

AbleNet: One of the leading providers of simple assistive technology, Ablenet consistently provides us with exceptional light technology options. You've heard of the Big Red and the All-Turn-It? Well, these guys have it- along with a HOST of other products! This is my first stop for light technology options.

Cambium Learning: Cambium is the home of Intellitools software (Classroom Suite 4, Balanced Literacy, Intellikeys, and Intelliswitch) and Kurzweil. We have been HUGE fans of Classroom Suite for years and have many activities available for free download at their Activity Share to coordinate with our therapy themes. We've just dug into Kurzweil and are impressed with this screen reader that allows our patients to read aloud any text document we load onto our computers. We'll keep you updated as we play around with this software more in upcoming months!

Crick Software: Crick Software is a wonderful software company focusing on innovative educational software. Here at Dynamic Therapy, we've just become a "Click Center" and are offering information and activities to support these impressive products. We're all just digging into the capabilities of the software and we're impressed. Expect to see more from us as we hone our programming skills and learn all the features of the preprogrammed content. Join us as we look at Clicker 5, Cloze Pro, Click Paint, and more!

Crick Software promotes the inclusion of children of all abilities by creating flexible products that can be tailored to the needs of individuals. Most products have the option of switch access, for people with a disability who are unable to use a mouse or keyboard.

The Company’s best-known product is Clicker, a supportive writing and multimedia tool. Clicker has won numerous awards and is consistently one of the top-selling educational software titles in the UK and is the #1 best selling language arts products with several top educational resellers in the US.

Ready-made sets of learning resources to support Crick’s products can be downloaded free from www.learninggrids.com. In addition to materials created in-house, the site also offers teachers the opportunity to share materials they have created for their own classrooms."

Dynavox Technologies and Mayer Johnson: One of the very first companies to create and sell dynamic display communication devices-and now the largest manufacturer of speech-generating devices- Dynavox continues to WOW us with cutting edge software and hardware in their speech generating devices. Dynavox provides us with the EyeMax, V/Vmax, M3, and the Xpress.This company provides exceptional software and hardware, teaching ideas, training, technical support and warranty after purchase. Dynavox software is powerful, with more features than I can mention in this brief paragraph! Ron Steinberg, GA Sales Representative for Dynavox is in our office several times a month for appointments, technical support and to share the company's information. Call us for details on his next visit.

Mayer-Johnson is a subsidiary of Dynavox Technologies. Many of you know Mayer-Johnson for their PCS symbols, Boardmaker, SDPro, and tons of light technology solutions. This company is the place to go for ALL of your AAC training needs!

News-2-You: News-2-You brings us some of the most exciting, comprehensive solutions for adapted curriculum materials on the market. News-2-You weekly newspaper, the Unique Curriculum and Symbolstix are all products we use in our offices regularly to supplement individual communication programming for all of our patients. This is a wonderful family owned company you MUST get to know!

Prentke Romich: Since 1966, this company has been helping our nonverbal friends communicate. I've worked with their products since I was in graduate school in the late 80's and have always had very good experiences with their hardware, software and support team. Prentke Romich company prides itself on providing not just the "box" but the language system needed for communicating effectively. With its Minspeak language system, PRC provides exciting and time-tested means of communication for children and adults. Devices include the ECO14, Vantage/Vanguard and Vantage Lite, Springboard/Springboard Lite, and Pathfinder. An exceptional company with good internet resources including a nice selection of teaching ideas and therapy materials on-line.

Proloquo-2-Go: Proloquo2Go™ is a new product from AssistiveWare that was developed by Samuel Sennott. The Proloquo is receiving wide acclaim and deserves attention from not only the assistive technology world but popular media. The Proloquo2Go is an Application that runs on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. A comparably inexpensive speech generation device, the P2G boasts an impressive, comprehensive vocabulary structure balancing both word based and phrase based construction of messages. The P2G utilizes the popular Symbolstix symbols from News-2-You.

Tobii Assistive Technology: Manufacturer of the brand-new (2009) Tobii C8, Tobii C12,Tobii CEye Module, and Lightwriter SL40, this company brings us impressive integrated communication device options (computer/communication device). I have had good experiences with their software including Evaluware (see Tools for Professionals), Tobii Communicator, and their newest software, Tobii SymbolMate. Wonderful company with responsive staff. Wayne Jones, GA/FLA Sales Representative for Tobii/ATI is in our office once a month for appointments and to share the company's information. We're looking forward to watching this company continue to develop!

Viking Software: Viking is a norwegian software company developing impressive communication software options. I had a chance to play around with their VS Communicator 4, a flexible, dynamic display communication software that allows use to change size, shape and color of buttons, launch computer programs, send emails, play your music, and more. Freebies are available on-line for download. A company to keep an eye on!

Words +: Words+ is one of the oldest companies in the AAC world. Words+ was founded by Walt Waltosz many years ago and brings us EZ Keys software. I haven't worked with this company in quite a while. A visit from representative, Luis Dominguez, last week, reminded me of the power of this software. EZ Keys software comes with the impressive distinction of being the chosen software of Stephen Hawking (yes, that Stephen Hawking, the astrophysicist ). I figure any software coming with that recommendation deserves a moment of our attention! Here's what the website says about EZ Keys: "EZ Keys XP is designed for users who have at least a third-grade reading level and cannot speak or for users who speak and desire adapted computer access. Users with a wide range of disabilities find EZ Keys XP simple to operate and essential to everyday communication. EZ Keys XP allows the literate user to do everything from typing a letter, to engaging in conversation with a friend, to exploring the worldwide web. World-renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking uses the software to communicate, write papers, and deliver lectures around the world." Go see EZ Keys and the other products from this company including Say-It-Sam communication devices, the Freedom series, and some REALLY TOUGH equipment for those energetic patients!

Zygo Industries: Who hasn't heard of the Macaw? The Macaw was only the second AAC device I ever had my hands on (the Wolf was the 1st!). I loved it then, and still find myself coming back to it now. Zygo's static display device, the Macaw, has been an industry standard for at least the 17 years I've been around! The Macaw 5 is the latest version with flexible 1-32 locations (buttons), easy real-voice programming and 32 levels (pages) that accepts direct input or a multitude of switch scanning options. Zygo has also jumped into the dynamic display communication device market with their Optimist 3HD and Dialect. Take a look!

Please note: This is not an exhaustive list of AAC device and software manufacturers. These are companies with which we have had positive experiences. New products and companies appear all the time. We will continue to do our best exploring their products and bringing information back to you!