SoundingBoard
Common Sense says
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Free
- Education
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that SoundingBoard is an accessibility tool that helps kids and adults who are unable to speak (or who have limited speech) to communicate. The design isn't as polished as the very similar app, TapToTalk, but the fact that SoundingBoard is free and offers the ability to create custom picture card sets makes it a good value. Customization is key with this app, so adults and educators should be prepared to put in some time creating picture card sets (called "boards") for kids.
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What's it about?
Users with limited speech or communication skills tap on various picture cards in order to express themselves. Each board has from one to nine picture cards, and each card includes image, text, and audio. Parents, educators, and therapists can create custom boards and cards to meet users' particular needs. Individual cards can connect to another board; for example, on one board, kids tap on a picture of a boy eating to express hunger, which then opens to a board showing a selection of food cards.
Is it any good?
Accessibility tools are rarely cheap, so the fact that SOUNDINGBOARD is free makes it very appealing. However, the app's slightly clunky design creates several limitations. SoundingBoard opens to a text-only menu, which would be confusing for younger kids or kids with limited literacy skills trying to use the app independently. The existing boards list is also heavily text-based with the exception of a small icon for each board, which again, could make navigation tricky for some kids. In addition, when kids see a board of cards, they are often unable to see the entire text that goes with a card if it's longer than a few words. This means kids have to rely on the images to know what the card will say when tapped.
Educators and parents can alleviate some of these issues when creating custom boards. Carefully selecting the images to represent the various boards can help kids navigate to a relevant set of picture cards. And limiting the text for each card can help kids find the phrase they want to express more easily.
Talk to your kids about ...
Take the time to set up boards for your kids' specific learning needs or routines. Use your own photos instead of the app's gallery to help your kids connect the app to their real-life needs.
Show the app to your kid's speech-language pathologist or teacher and ask for ideas on ways to customize it for use at home or school.
App details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Subjects: Language & Reading: naming, speaking, vocabulary
- Skills: Self-Direction: personal growth
Emotional Development: handling stress, labeling feelings
Communication: conveying messages effectively, speaking - Price: Free
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: November 30, 2011
- Category: Education
- Size: 56.40 MB
- Publisher: AbleNet
- Version: 3.1.1
- Minimum software requirements: iOS 4.3 or later
- Last updated: November 11, 2020
Our editors recommend
For kids who love to learn with apps
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.