Text to 911 Will Benefit the Deaf

This weekend Verizon announced its plans to make a nationwide system allowing cell phone users to text message 911. The system will be in place as early as 2013. This service will be helpful for the deaf or hard of hearing who find voice calls difficult if not impossible. Verizon says the following about text to 911's benefit for the deaf or hard of hearing,

"While consumers should always first try to contact a 911 center by making a voice call, this enhanced SMS service, when deployed, will offer an alternative for customers on the Verizon Wireless network who are deaf or hard of hearing and cannot make voice calls or who could be placed in additional danger by speaking."

To be clear if you are able to make voice calls to 911 it remains the preferred method. Text to 911 service has not been deployed so texts to 911 will not be answered. Click read more below to read the Verizon's press release.

Proloquo2Go the Premiere AAC App for iOS

Proloquo2Go is the most full featured augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app for iOS. The app can help people who have trouble communicating communicate by touching words or phrases that they want to have spoken aloud. To learn more about Proloquo2Go visit their website at Proloquo2Go.com. Proloquo2Go has an extremely visual interface that makes finding what you are looking for easy. The home screen of Proloquo2Go has a grid with folders; each folder has an image and title on it. The user touches a folder to enter that category. For example if you wanted to say "yes" you would click on the yes, no, maybe folder and the touch the yes button. Once you touch the yes button a computerized voice would say "yes." Many folders have numerous sub folders which can make it time consuming to find the word or phrase you would like to say. Luckily, you can make quick sets of words and phrases you use often for quicker access. In addition you can make custom commands such as family member's names or home address. Proloquo2Go also allows users to input the word  they want via a keyboard. The keyboard has advanced word prediction that allows users to insert words faster. When using the keyboard you can type out phrases that Proloquo2Go will say allowed when you are finished typing. Proloqu2Go allow features several high quality text-to-speech voices. Proloquo2Go is a feature filled AAC app that can allow people to communicate. Because of the abundance of features Proloquo2Go can be slightly complex to use at the beginning. To try Proloquo2Go you can stop by your local Apple Store and find the app installed on all of the display iPads. Proloquo2Go is $189.99 in the App Store and works with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Proloquo2Go can replace much more expensive AAC devices and using Apple devices can make users feel less self-conscious than using a dedicated AAC device that is different from anything peers or same age students would use. To watch Proloquo2Go featured on 60 minutes click here. To learn more about Proloquo2Go click read more below.