Helping Your Child To Communicate

The ability to communicate effectively is a fundamental difficulty for many children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Communication breakdown leads to frustration for both parent and child. iasku has been designed and developed by our team of psychologists, speech and language therapists and app developers to support your child in communicating more purposefully. Unlike paper-based communication aids, iasku is easy to use in a range of settings and is also highly adaptable to new situations.

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So How Does It Work?

This app has been designed to facilitate functional two-way communication. It comes with sets of symbols, which have been categorised for the user e.g. ‘food’, ‘toys’, ‘drinks’ etc. The child is able to select a category and the app automatically shows the sentence starter ‘I want’. The child selects their desired item from the category, which is then added to the sentence starter to make a request e.g. ‘I want bubbles’

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It is not possible to make up a sentence that does not make sense or does not work grammatically. Once the user has made up the sentence a red hand appears as a prompt to the child to take the device to an adult. This is unique to iasku. It ensures the child engages in two-way communication because they must take the device to an adult rather than simply reading the sentence out loud and hoping someone responds.

Once the device has been handed to the adult this can be honoured as communication, even if the child is not yet able to say words. The adult selects ‘yes’, ‘not available’ or ‘wait’. If ‘yes’ is selected the adult echoes the request verbally e.g. ‘I want apple’ and hands the device back to the child with their desired item. If ‘wait’ is selected then a timer appears which the adult sets to show the child how long they have to wait. The child waits until the countdown reaches zero. When the timer countdown is complete the prompt hand reappears, and the child takes the device back to the adult to make the request again. If ‘not available’ is selected the device is handed back to the child for an alternative request to be made.

  • Comes with a range of useful symbols which make sense - communication is logical and meaningful
  • You can customise the app by hiding symbols when they are not suitable or appropriate
  • You can customise, sort and add new categories
  • New symbols are regularly published, available for you to download. Growing your symbol sets is easy
  • Allows you to create your own symbols by using the iPad camera to create photographs of items that you need
  • Provides immediate communication at the right time
  • Supports genuine interaction – there is no synthetic voice or inappropriate use of language. All verbal prompts are eliminated

Some of the features you'll find in iasku

  • High Quality Design & Functionality High Quality Design & Functionality

    Every part of iasku has been custom developed and designed. You won’t find our icons of categories or functionality in any other app.

  • Easy To Find Cards Easy To Find Cards

    A simple category structure, and easy to navigate interface is essential. Browse several pages of cards via buttons or using a finger swipe to find the the card the child wants.

  • Three Easy To Understand Responses Three Easy To Understand Responses

    Our app comes with three very easy to understand responses. 'Yes', 'Not available' and 'Wait'. Wait allows you to specify a wait time and provides a fantastic countdown for the child.

  • Customise & Create Categories Customise & Create Categories

    Our aim was to make this app as affordable and customisable as possible. You can create new categories, and even re-organise existing ones.

  • Create Your Own Icons/Cards Create Your Own Icons/Cards

    A great feature of iasku is the ability to create your own cards. Just fire the camera up and take a picture of your child's favourite item and save it as a card.

  • Further Categories Of Icons Available Further Categories Of Icons Available

    iasku comes ready with a fantastic array of icons, but periodically we are adding new icon sets for useful scenarios you can add into your app.

Reviews we have received

  • Janet Clarke

    Excellent app. Simple, easy to use and versatile. Enables the child who has learnt a basic exchange to develop that skill to a higher level in a way that is motivating and easy to understand. Thoroughly recommend it

    Dr Janet Clarke, MB, BChir, DCh, MSc, MA

  • Debbie

    Communication made easy! This is the way forward. Easy, cheap, socially acceptable. So much more user friendly than a folder full of pictures!

    Debbie Chamberlain, Dip. Speech Pathology, (Reg MRCSLT)

  • Marnie Witters

    I love this app! I plan to use it with my own son and, as a parent, appreciate the work that has gone into it. It is sure to motivate and encourage autistic children who are both language-delayed and non-verbal to gain confidence knowing they can communicate using the iPad!

    Marnie Witters, Autism Plugged In

  • Richard Gilham

    What a fantastic idea. Easy to use especially the photo option. Working with young children with ASD I can see how this could be of tremendous benefit to the children and their parents/carers.

    Richard Gilham, Clinical Psychologist at Norfolk Community Health and Care

Available now on the App Store for only £2.99 Download it today