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Using Proloquo2Go
Marg Griffin, MA CCC-SLP
SLP @ Kings Local Schools
App Developer and co-owner of
Golden Communications LLC
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GoldenComunicationsLLC.com
Twitter @mggoldencom
www.facebook.com/EnchantedDictionary
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Resources
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www.assistiveware.com
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http://www.assistiveware.com/taking-pulse-augmentativeand-alternative-gfios
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Proloquo2GoPrivate Groups Welcome Center of
FaceBook
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iTeach Special education group on FaceBook
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SLPs Talk Apps group on FaceBook
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Technology in Education FaceBook page
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Moms With Apps FaceBook page
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“The times they are a-changing”
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan

In April of 2009, AssistiveWare released the
first fully functioning assistive/augmentative
communication (AAC) app to run on a
mainstream mobile device (iPod Touch or
iPhone)- Proloquo2Go.

As of April of 2012, there are approximately
115 AAC apps available in the iTunes App
Store
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The pros and cons of this new “Wild
West” of AAC…
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Cheaper
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Able to get access to AAC for
first time
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Easier to program
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Easily configured in many ways
for different users.
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Faster to replace if broken
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Cool
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Concern about over
recommending/using P2G
because of cost/trendiness
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Concern about language
development and use of core
vocabulary
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Concern about leaving
Proloquo2Go and going to other
apps
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Users may have a device but
still not have access to skilled
support for AAC
Emily, at start of 7th
Grade
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Minimal speech, some signs
Broken dedicated device
Good literacy skills
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Low comprehension of
verbal/auditory information
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Growing agitation/aggression at
school and at home
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Using school’s Alphasmart
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Parent was willing and able to
buy less expensive technology
Emily, in high school
using P2G
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Typing questions she was asked and looking/listening to them multiple
times to help herself process information.
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Using buttons in categories to help her understand how to respond to a
question.
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Typing her responses and then "speaking" it.
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Button size is medium, uses message window.
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Making buttons to share information between home and school.
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Accessing buttons with verbal routines of her day (asking for a key,
saying the Pledge of Allegiance, saying her prayers at night.)
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Using pre-made buttons to participate for a broader set of
communication purposes.
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Accesses a folder with all her Social Stories to listen to them as needed.
Meg: 8th Grade
Student
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Low content speech and signing
that was not so much
communicative as a part of her
routine
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Made requests for basic needs
(potty, hungry, go home) but did
not respond to communicate
without hand-over-hand
assistance when using picture
exchange
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Closed eyes or left group
activities regularly
Meg with P2G
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Button size is large (9)
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Options>Interaction>Vocabulary button>allow repeat>Repeat delay
1 second to eliminate repeated tap.
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Message window + speak each item
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Folders of symbols and pictures for school activities as well as for
home.
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Independently moves from screen to screen and folder to folder.
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Explores new vocabulary independently, listening to and repeating
words.
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Remains in the group and engaged in communication.
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Phrase and sentence buttons to ask questions of peers during
communication group.
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Communicates to ask questions, respond and request by using
P2G as well as speech and signing.
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Increase in speech and signing for different communication
purposes.
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Increased literacy
Alan: 7th Grade
Student
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No speech or sign
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Parents purchased an iPad with
P2G when he was in 5th grade
to replace his Dynavox b/c they
were unhappy with it.
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Relies on routine and button
location to scaffold his
communication.
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Limited symbol vocabulary.
Alan using P2G
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Moving from use of button/phrases to core board approach.
Building vocabulary and comprehension for “wh” questions.
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Uses large button setting (9) and message window, with
speak message only turned on.
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Benefits from being able to have photos in addition to
symbols.
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Uses pre-programmed phrases to share information
between home and school and to ask questions in Weekend
Group.
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Initiates use of device, opens app independently and
navigates pages.
Pat at Start of 7th
Grade
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No speech or signs
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Very social (greets, smiles, laughs)
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No joint attention, no turn taking
behaviors
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Used picture exchange with handover-hand assistance
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Pushed/pulled pinched to gain
attention, threw/pushed to refuse
items or activities.
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No indication of choices or
responses within teacher directed
activities.
Pat with P2G
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Began with “Very Large” button size and limited to two
choices per screen. Progressed to 4 choices per
screen. Progressed next to four choices per screen
with each choice being a folder that opened to four
more choices.
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Uses photos of actual items for most buttons (except
“more” and “stop”)
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Options>Interaction>Vocabulary button>allow
repeat>Repeat delay 1 second to eliminated repeat
tap.
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No message window
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Uses iPad for a variety of education/leisure choices.
+ Using Proloquo2Go in Communication Groups
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Accommodating different users
(comprehension, attention, word retrieval,
vocabulary, literacy, sentence building, topic
maintenance, asking questions)
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Using multi-touch gestures to switch from app to
app quickly during group activities (examples:
P2G and Pictello, P2G and News2You)
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Important Skills:
Backing up Vocabulary
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There are 2 types of vocabulary back up. One
backs it up on your mobile device, the other
backs it up on your desktop/laptop computer. To
be safe you MUST back it up on your computer.
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There are step by step instructions at
http://download.assistiveware.com/proloquo2go/fi
les/Proloquo2Go_TutorialMaking_and_Restoring
_Backups_with_iTunes.pdf
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Important Skills:
Sharing Vocabulary
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If you have multiple devices that you want to put the same
vocabulary set on, such as in a school setting, you can do
this by saving the vocabulary on the computer, saving
that file and then emailing that file to the person you want
to share the vocabulary with. They open the file and save
it in their iTunes account and then select that vocabulary
to put on their mobile device.
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Step by step instructions are found at
https://support.assistiveware.com/index.php?pg=kb.page
&id=43
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Important Skills:
Adding Pictures/Photos
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If you have a photo on your mobile device, chose
“add a photo or symbol”, and then “chose a picture”,
select the photo and press “add” or “add as new
category”.
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If you want to get an image off the internet, use
Google Images or another search engine, right click
the image and save it. You can then use that image
as you would any other photo to make buttons.
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Important Skills:
Taking screen shots of pages
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It is easy to make back-up paper copies of important P2G
pages to use in situations where you could not have the
device (at the pool) or when the device as not available.
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Go to the page you want to save. Hold down the home
key and then “click” the on/off button. Your screen will
blink and an image will be saved in your photos.
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To print it, go to Photos and find the screen shot. It the
upper right hand corner, tap the arrow button and select
print if you have Airprint or email the screen shot to
yourself and print from your computer.