You want to be a better communication partner.

We want to make that easier than ever.

Backed by research

Empowering you to Immerse Include Support Your Symbol Speaker (AAC User)

All while saving you time & frustration

 Symbol-It™ turns any iOS device into a speech-to-symbol translator by using the leading AAC symbol systems– with just the push of a button. Never before has it been possible to translate verbal speech to picture symbols at the speed of conversation. Symbol-It is made for the communication partner!

You don't have to wait or have "skills", you can speak in symbols with the press of a button

This white (or black in dark mode) area is called the “Symbol Display Box”. This is where symbols will appear as you use the Symbol-It app.

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The new “Button Row” lets you easily control and navigate Symbol-It with one finger

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When you press the microphone icon, your words are translated and displayed in the Symbol Display Box.

To stop, you simply press the button again. If you do not press it again, it will automatically stop after 59 seconds of symbolling. 

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Take a photo and create your own personalized symbols. You can even edit the symbol later.

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Easily clear your display box and start over.

However,  it is not necessary to press this icon to do so. The symbol display box will also clear if you  simply press the microphone and begin recording a new message.

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As your words are being translated into symbols, the text translation will appear here. Simply select the icon to view the text.

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To open the Symbol-It menu and customize your Symbol-It experience, just click here.

To learn more about customization and personalization, check out our tutorials on YouTube. 

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We craft software to change the lives of people who, without SymbolSpeak, would not be able to find their voice.

#symbolspeak

Speak with symbols in real-time! Symbol-It provides a natural and fun way to translate your speech into picture symbols in real time. With Symbol-It in hand, any English speaker can communicate with a Symbol Speaker without having to learn to use a speech generating device or app!

Who should use Symbol-It?

Symbol-It was designed to give you, the communication partner, a way to make language visible while engaging your symbol speaker. You speak verbally AND in picture symbols simultaneously so that the developing communicator sees the symbols and hears your speech simultaneously.

All communication partners: Parents, caregivers, emergency responders, educators, and therapists may all benefit from using Symbol-It, the first speech to symbol translator available for mobile devices. 

Language is learned in naturally occurring environments and activities. Language is learned at home, at the playground, inside, outside, with family and friends, throughout life. Language is learned when we see and hear that language in meaningful ways. 

Language through AAC should develop in the same way, and the symbol speaker should be given the opportunity to develop language naturally. This will require that the primary people in a symbol speaker’s life speak in the symbol system that is likely to be learned. According to O’Lenick and Garcia (2018), it is as if the speakers are speaking a language different from the individual and the individual developing language through AAC needs to figure out the symbols on his/her own. 

 

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With Symbol-It, families, caregivers, educators & therapists can connect to a symbol speaker in their language.

Connect

  • Remove delays in communication by communicating with Symbols in REAL TIME at the speed of conversation.
  • See your spoken language made visible with over 21,000 picture symbols! 
  • With Symbol-It, communication is made easy between family members, educators, therapists, physicians, and friends and the Symbol Speakers in their lives.
  • Symbol-It brings the world of spoken language to Symbol Speakers, whether it’s in their home, their school, their community, or anywhere life can lead them.
  • Show Words – display text for words that do not have a symbol in a particular symbol system
happy sisters playing

Customize

  • Communicate with Symbol Speakers using their symbol system of choice! Symbol-It uses picture symbols from the leading companies in the industry, including LAMP WFL & Unity, SymbolStix & Smarty Symbols.
  • Control the size of your symbols to meet the needs of your Symbol Speakers.
  • A light and a dark color mode make the display more comfortable on the eyes.
  •  Symbol Size – choose between small, medium, large, and extra large symbol sizes and adjust the spacing between symbols to adjust readability
  • Personalize Symbols using your device’s camera or photo gallery using Picture-It.
  • Add words from your Symbol Speaker’s world that have personal meaning like names of loved ones matched with their photo.

Educate

  • Color Coding – visually distinguish the parts of speech using the Modified Fitzgerald color coding system
  • Align the symbol system to match your symbol speaker’s speech generating device symbols and/or classroom curriculum symbols.
  • Each symbol system includes vocabulary levels.
Molly and her Dad using AAC

LEARN

  • Symbol Speakers learn alternative communication more naturally by being immersed in those around them using it in their everyday lives.
  • Picture symbols are color coded by their part of speech using to the Modified Fitzgerald color coding system.
  • Not familiar with augmentative communication? No problem! Symbol-It makes it easy for all English speakers to naturally speak to the Symbol Speaker in their language.

BACKED BY RESEARCH

We have sign language translators that provide a way for the signer to be able to learn sign language within their natural environment, but to date we have not had a way to speak in picture symbols in real time, in complete sentences, in all environments, for all different reasons, by all communication partners… until Symbol-It!

  • Symbol-It is rooted in the idea of Dual-Symbol Immersion from the research of O’Lenick & Garcia (2019-2021).
  • This groundbreaking theory suggests that, just as spoken language is learned through imitation, Symbol Speakers learn symbols best when interacting with other people who speak through both verbal language and picture symbols simultaneously rather than symbol-only interactions.
  • Make your language easier to understand by using research-backed core vocabulary dictionaries.
person on tablet-depth of field photo

Dual-Symbol Immersion™

Dual-Symbol Immersion™ means that the learner needs and deserves to be spoken to in the symbol system they are likely to learn all throughout the day, in all contexts and environments, and in all types of activities. When immersed in the symbol system they are likely to learn, then and only then can the symbol speaker begin to develop language through AAC in a way that’s consistent with verbal language development.

How do we focus on the development of language skills when that language is not verbal?

Symbol-It is changing the conversation when it comes to AAC, putting a solution for speaking in picture symbols directly into the hands of families, friends, and therapists to better communicate with the symbol speakers in their lives. For the development of language in AAC, Symbol-It is an essential tool. When the goal is to immerse your symbol speaker to improve language outcomes, then the solution is to Symbol-It.

Understanding Dual-Symbol Immersion will help to understand the role that Symbol-It plays in language acquisition. The guiding forces through AAC are developmental learning theories and language development progression and milestones. Social learning theories (Vygotsky, 1979; Paul, 2013) describe that language is learned by being used in meaningful ways. Children learn language verbally by being talked to, and by their own developing expressive language being made meaningful by those around them. When applying these learning theories to language through AAC, an essential component is that symbol speakers will be spoken to and have the symbols used in combination with verbal language (O’Lenick & Garcia, 2018-2021).

Molly birthday with dad using AAC

User-friendly

Easily translate speech into symbols and communicate with the symbol speaker

Flexible

The visual representation may be displayed for different symbol systems, for various vocabulary levels, and in different sizes, colors and more.

Versatile

Symbol-It will be able to be projected from the iPad/iPhone, allowing for display in a classroom or conference room.

Support

We at SymbolSpeak are dedicated to providing not only the best applications, but the highest standard of customer servce.

Get Symbol-It

Using augmentative communication (AAC) has never been easier.
Get started using real-time translation of speech to symbol and connect with the symbol speaker in your life in
their symbols. #symbolspeak

We heard you! We made Symbol-It even better by making it more accessible to all.
One purchase & it's yours, including all the pro features.

*If you have a current subscription to Symbol-It or Symbol-It Pro, you already own Symbol-It! Please contact us if you have any questions at hello@symbolspeak.co.

Symbol-It Now Includes All Features of Symbol-It Pro!

The Communication Partner App! Perfect for families, educators, therapists & educators.
$ 99
99
Now Just A One Time Payment & It's You
  • Speech to Symbol Translation
  • Includes leading Symbol Systems
  • Easily Change Symbol Systems
  • Personalize Symbols
  • Customize Symbols

Latest In The Media

Deann’s Interview with Special Education Boss, Karen Mayer-Cunningham

Deann’s Interview with Click.Speak.Connect. Founder & CEO, Lydia Dawley

Listen to ATU464 – Symbol-It with Deann O’Lenick from Assistive Technology Update with Josh Anderson on Apple Podcasts. 

Latest In The Blog

World Speech Day

World Speech Day + AAC

Since 2015, every March 15th has been celebrated as World Speech Day. When it was first established, the day was dedicated to public speaking as the oldest form of mass communication. However, as the tradition developed year over year, new themes were added in order to celebrate and emphasize everything from the power of words

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