1. Tactile Talk: The Tactile Communication and Literacy Toolkit for iPad
Betsy Flener Ed.D. and Joni Nygard M.S. CCC-SLP

2. Advantages of iDevice Lightweight and portable
Ability to quickly change tactile overlays
Ability to customize

3. Why Overlays Tactile plus audio input versus audio only
Instruction with tactile feedback
Inclusion—same device as peers
Ability to create and customize activities
copyright Betsy Flener Ed.D. 2013

4. Unique Features of GoTalk Now for Students with Visual Impairments
Ability to create communication books with various layouts of cells
Ability to link pages together
Ability to control font type and size, background colors and borders

5. Unique Features Ability to add auditory cues
Ability to add voice recordings, auditory cues, text to speech, songs and music, web address, and video
Ability to add scene pages with hot spots

6. Additional Features Ease of programming Ability to add after action
Picture library included
Import pictures from photos, internet, or take a picture within the app
An app that can grow with a student

7. Rationale for System
Portable communication for tactile learners that incorporates voice output
All in 1 Communication
Build in literacy and concepts
Tactile symbols or overlays could be quickly changed
Inexpensive
Ability to individualize and add to as students progress

8. What We Know About Communication
Students need the ability to:
Make requests
Indicate stop, protest, and ask for help
Greet and initiate conversation
Follow routines and anticipate what’s next
Students with complex needs including visual impairment need sensory breaks
Inappropriate behavior often results from limited opportunities for choice making

9. Screenshot: Main Menu

10. Important Considerations in Development of Tactile Talk
High contrast with little complexity
Inclusion of print label
Picture included so that peers may interact with the student
Arranged so that during typical interactions no more than 2 overlays are needed
Ability to feel symbol before activation

11. Tangible Symbols Rowland & Schweigert 2000 note: Identical objects
Partial or associated objects
Symbols with one or two shared features
Artificial symbols
Three dimensional symbols
Two dimensional pictures

12. Typical Tactile Symbol Systems
Many use parts or pieces of objects
Incorporate tactually distinct textures /objects
Portable and easily accessible (notebook, posted schedule in class)
Symbols used are meaningful to the student
Individualization is important although there are some attempts to have a universal set of symbols (TSBVI Standard Directory, STATS)

13. Concepts/ Pre-braille skills
Body image and parts
Sizes
Shapes
Textures
Position

14. Location Travel is based upon landmarks
We often locate landmarks by their relationship to other landmarks
Important to follow a consistent route
We interpret size and position according to the comparison of similar objects

15. Literacy Pre-braille concepts Counting and one to one correspondence
A book tells a story
Stories can be in the form of print, braille, pictures, or tangible/ tactile symbols

16. Routines Tactile symbol to begin and end
Predictable sequence of events
Tactile symbols to represent objects, actions and locations encountered during the routine
Hygiene routine included
Ability to individualize three other routines or develop additional routines

17. Story with Symbols Adapted version of Charlotte’s Web
This book is often used for Alternate Portfolio
A symbol represents each page and recording
Print labels and pictures included

18. Screenshot: Story with Symbols

19. Overlay: Story with Symbols

20. TactileTalk Toolkit Includes:
GoTalk NOW Plus
TactileTalk Communication Book (In-App)
30 pre-made tactile overlays
TactileTalk Guidebook

21. References Cascella, P. & McNamara, K (2005).
Empowering students with severe disabilities to actualize communication skills Teaching Exceptional Children, 37 (3),
Rowland, C. & Schweigert, P. (2000). Tangible
symbols, tangible outcomes. Augmentative
and Alternative Communication, 16 (2),

22. Contact information
Betsy Flener
Joni Nygard