image2talk in use

Getting started

Once downloaded, image2talk is ready for use through the use of predefined rows in the categories of; quick responses, food, fruit and vegetables, drinks, activities, places, objects, feelings and everyday conversations.

After download, for each row, the images, voice-over and text will be on and the time delay will be set at 5 seconds. Go into the settings for the row to customise row settings.

Customise image2talk straight from the iPad to add images personal to the individual user such as their own house, their own bed, their favourite food items. Start off small if you need to by deleting whole rows or images within rows.

Get used to the horizontal scrolling by starting off with smaller rows and then making the rows longer one at a time. You can also alternate longer and shorter rows. The row will only scroll horizontally if the row is longer than can be displayed on the screen.

Customise row settings

Go into the settings and tap on a row title to customise the presentation of the row. Here you will be able to:

  • Turn images on/off
  • Turn voice over on/off
  • Turn text label on/off
  • Set the time delay for the overview screen to reappear

Add images

Go into settings, tap manage rows and add images, tap the row title of the row you want to add an image to, tap add image from photo gallery. Your camera roll appears and you simply tap the image to import. Once it has imported, tap on the image to create the display text and speaker output.

Remember you can add images to your camera roll straight from your iPad, not only by taking a picture with the iPad but by also going into Safari, searching Google images for an appropriate image and holding your finger on it to save the image to your camera roll.

Add a new row

Go into settings, tap manage rows and add images and tap add rows from our gallery. At the top is a blank row, select it and tap +. A blank row appears at the end of your list of rows. Go into that row and tap add image from photo gallery. Your camera roll appears and you simply select the images you want to import.

Tap on the row title to give your new row a name and to customise the settings for the row.

Add a new row from your Dropbox

Go into settings, tap manage rows and add images and tap add rows from Dropbox folder. Select the folder you want to import, the folder will be imported as a new row. The name you used to save the image, e.g. popcorn, will automatically be generated as the text label and speaker output. You can also customise the label and speaker output manually.

Using image2talk with an individual with a severe communication impairment

  • Images – on
  • Voice over – on
  • Text – on or off (turn on if developing reader skills)
  • Set time delay to facilitate effective comunication

image2talk is designed to reduce communication frustration, so set the time delay to suit the individual needs. The time delay will be preset at 5 seconds and those 5 seconds begin after the speaker output has been emitted. If you feel waiting for the overview screen to reappear is causing frustration, reduce the time delay.

The time delay allows for the development of social interaction between the individual user and a communication partner. After the speaker output has been emitted, the communication partner can engage with the individual through looking at the image with the individual. The individual can tap the image without any effect on the screen. The overview screen will only reappear after the set time delay has elapsed.

Using image2talk to develop emerging speaker skills

  • Images – on
  • Voice over – on to use speaker output an echoic prompt, off for independent speaker behaviour
  • Text – on or off (turn on if developing reader skills)
  • Set time delay to facilitate emerging speaker skills

“Children will often try to imitate words they hear on their communication devices thus, facilitating speech production. Most children who have the potential for speech development begin speaking while using their AAC systems.”

Lilienthal, N (2008) 'What is AAC and who uses it' www.speechpathologyguru.com/aac

It is often a concern that an individual using an AAC device with speaker output will not develop any speaker skills as they will rely on their device to speak for them. Setting the time delay in image2talk allows the speaker output to be used as an echoic prompt that the individual can model their own speaker behaviour from. Turning of the speaker output facilitates the occasion for independent speaker behaviour.

Through the use of real images, image2talk is designed for adults and children and through image2talk the development of speaker skills can be fostered in adults and children alike.

Using image2talk to develop emerging reader skills

  • Images - on when pairing image with text, turn off and use image on overview screen as visual prompt
  • Voice over – on or off depending on speaker skills
  • Text - on
  • Set time delay to facilitate effective communication

The image on the overview screen will present as a visual prompt to the individual. Displaying the text label on top of the enlarged image will pair the text with the image. As the individual begins to recognise the text label the image can be turned off so only the text label is presented on the screen.

When the individual is reliable in recognising the text label you can take a picture of the text (print it out or write it and take a picture or use a chalkboard like the image for ‘how are you?’) and import that image into the row. Delete the real image from the row, removing the visual prompt.

Remember, image2talk is designed for use with other unaided forms of augmentative and alternative communication such as body language, facial expressions and gestures. Together they will facilitate social interactions and the development of effective, functional communication.

Do you have questions or suggestions for image2talk?
Please send us an email at hi@image2talk.com.