If your child has been recommended AAC - Augmentative and Alternative Communication - the next question is almost always the same: which app, and on which device? The options are genuinely good, but they are not interchangeable, and the difference between the right tool and the wrong one can significantly affect how quickly and confidently a child develops communication skills.
This guide is for parents, carers, and support coordinators trying to make sense of the options. It is not a replacement for working with a speech pathologist - that step remains essential - but it should help you arrive at those conversations better prepared.
What Is AAC?
AAC refers to any method of communication that supplements or replaces speech. That includes low-tech tools like picture boards and communication books, as well as high-tech solutions like dedicated speech-generating devices and iPad-based apps. This article focuses on the high-tech end - specifically apps that run on an iPad and use symbols, text, or a combination of both to produce spoken output.
AAC is used by people with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, acquired brain injury, and many other conditions that affect speech. The goal is always to give the person a reliable, flexible way to communicate - not just to make requests, but to hold conversations, express opinions, ask questions, and participate fully in daily life.
Dedicated Device vs iPad with AAC App: What's the Difference?
Dedicated speech-generating devices (SGDs) are purpose-built communication devices. They are ruggedised, focused on a single job, and typically come with a specific vocabulary system pre-installed. They are expensive - often $8,000 to $15,000 or more - but for some users they are the right solution, particularly where access methods like eye gaze or switch scanning are required.
An iPad with an AAC app achieves much of the same outcome at a fraction of the cost. It uses the same vocabulary systems in many cases, runs natural-sounding voices, and can be customised extensively. For a large proportion of users, an iPad with a quality AAC app is equally effective and considerably more practical. It is also the tool the child's peers are likely to be familiar with, which matters for social inclusion.
The tradeoff is durability - a dedicated device is generally more robust - and the fact that an iPad without a protective case and appropriate restrictions can become a distraction. Both of these are manageable with the right setup.
The Key AAC Apps for iPad
Proloquo and Proloquo2Go (AssistiveWare)
These two apps from AssistiveWare are the most widely used AAC apps in Australia. They share the same underlying approach but are designed for different situations.
Proloquo2Go has been the gold standard for over 15 years. It uses the research-based Crescendo vocabulary system, with core words held in consistent locations to support motor planning and language development. It supports more than 27,000 symbols, over 100 natural-sounding voices including Australian English options, and is highly customisable. It is available in English, Spanish, French, and Dutch, with bilingual support built in. For users with fine-motor challenges, it offers 23 pre-programmed grid sizes, switch scanning, and compatibility with Apple VoiceOver.
Proloquo, released in 2022, is AssistiveWare's next-generation app. It is designed for greater consistency - the vocabulary does not change unless a clinician deliberately adjusts it, which reduces the risk of well-meaning family members or educators inadvertently disrupting a child's motor learning. It also introduces features like Thinking Space, which lets even beginning communicators arrange symbols freely without forming full sentences, and Related Words, which expands vocabulary as literacy develops. For most new English-language users, AssistiveWare now recommends Proloquo over Proloquo2Go - though Proloquo2Go remains the right choice for non-English users or where a smaller grid size is needed for physical access reasons.
Snap Core First (Tobii Dynavox)
Snap Core First is a symbol-based AAC app from Tobii Dynavox, the same company that makes many of the leading dedicated SGDs. One of its practical advantages is consistency with those devices - a child trialling Snap Core First on an iPad is using essentially the same vocabulary system they would use on a dedicated Tobii device. That continuity can simplify the transition if a dedicated device is recommended later. It is well regarded by clinicians and schools and is a solid choice where familiarity with the Tobii ecosystem matters.
TouchChat (PRC-Saltillo)
TouchChat is another established AAC app, often paired with the WordPower vocabulary system. It is used in many school settings and on some dedicated devices including NovaChat, which can be relevant where consistency between home and school setups is a priority. It has a broader learning curve for programming and customisation compared to Proloquo2Go, but is a familiar and trusted choice for clinicians with experience in the PRC-Saltillo ecosystem.
LAMP Words for Life (PRC-Saltillo)
LAMP Words for Life - Language Acquisition through Motor Planning - is a therapeutic approach as much as an app. It is based on the principle that consistent motor patterns for words (pressing the same sequence of buttons every time) builds automaticity over time, in the same way speech develops. It is particularly used with children with autism and motor planning challenges. It requires consistent implementation across all environments for best results, which means everyone supporting the child - parents, teachers, therapists, aides - needs to learn and use the same system.
Which App Is Right for Your Child?
The honest answer is: your speech pathologist should guide this decision based on a formal assessment. But a few general principles are worth understanding before you get to that point.
The app is less important than robust implementation. Any of the above apps, used consistently by a committed team of people who model AAC use alongside the child, will be more effective than the "best" app used inconsistently. Research consistently shows that adults modelling communication on the device - using it themselves to talk with the child - is one of the most powerful drivers of AAC progress.
Trial before you commit. Most apps offer free trial periods or lite versions. A speech pathologist can also arrange a more structured trial through AT hire services. Seeing how a specific child interacts with a specific vocabulary layout over a few weeks is far more informative than any specification comparison.
Think about the whole team. The app that is easiest for support staff and teachers to learn and programme is often the one that gets used most consistently - and consistency is what drives outcomes.
iPad Setup for AAC Use
An iPad used as a communication device needs to be set up differently from a general-purpose tablet. A few things to consider:
- Guided Access or Screen Time restrictions to keep the child in the AAC app and prevent distraction or accidental changes to settings.
- A quality protective case - AAC iPads get heavy use and need to survive serious daily wear. We almost always recommend the GoNow case for AAC devices. It is purpose-built for communication devices, with a handle, stand, and the kind of protection that holds up to how kids actually treat these things.
- A loud, clear speaker or amplifier in some environments - the built-in iPad speaker can struggle in noisy classrooms or outdoor settings.
NDIS and AAC iPads: What You Need to Know
Funding for an iPad as a communication device through the NDIS is possible, but it requires prior approval before purchase - you cannot buy first and claim afterwards. Since October 2024, iPads are classified as Replacement Supports, which means NDIS approval must be in place before any purchase is made.
How the Funding Pathway Typically Works
Most participants access communication device funding through Capital Assistive Technology, which is allocated at planning stage. However, even where this funding exists in a plan, a separate Replacement Supports application is still required before you can purchase an iPad with an AAC app. It is now very rare for this approval to be included at the planning stage itself, so a subsequent application is almost always needed regardless of what the plan contains.
A speech pathologist's supporting letter is a standard part of this process, demonstrating why an iPad with a specific AAC app is the most appropriate and cost-effective solution for the participant's communication needs.
Allow Plenty of Time
Replacement Supports applications can take upwards of 8 to 12 weeks to be considered and approved by the NDIS. This is not a fast process. If a participant has just received a plan with appropriate funding, the time to start the application is immediately - do not wait until the plan is close to review or the funding is needed urgently.
Trialling Apps Is a Separate Matter
Trialling an AAC app does not require the same approval as purchasing. Participants can generally use existing Consumables or AT funding for trials, which is why trialling before committing to a specific app and device is both practically and financially sensible - and strongly recommended.
Every participant's situation is different - if you need help working out what applies to your specific plan and circumstances, our customer support team is happy to talk it through with you.
Where to Start
If your child has been recommended AAC or you think it might help, the first step is a referral to a speech pathologist with AAC experience. They will assess communication needs, recommend a vocabulary system and access method, and guide the trial and implementation process. From there, we can help with the device, the app, and the accessories.
Browse our AAC range at Assistive Tech Australia, including iPad bundles, AAC apps, and protective cases. For NDIS-specific questions, visit our iPad and NDIS guide or contact our support team.
