Santa Barbara, CA — February 27, 2012 — The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation (theGSF), a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit launched “Say Hi! AAC” (Say Hi!), a first-of-its-kind augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) iPad app with the aim of opening the world of communication for those with severe physical disabilities, limited movement, and/or challenged dexterity. The unique app allows the user to communicate wants, needs, emotions, etc. via the iPad without ever physically touching the iPad touchscreen. Say Hi! is available for free in the Apple App Store.
Simple by design, the Say Hi! iPad communication app is completely customizable to suit the specific needs of the user. Once installed on the iPad, the user can create communication pages with boxes of words, phrases, images, and recorded sounds. Say Hi! requires the use of an iPad, which displays what the user would like to communicate, and two additional iPod Touch or iPhone devices. The two additional devices wirelessly connect to the iPad with one iPod/iPhone device acting as the “mover” and the other as the “selector.” The “mover” allows the user to move between customized boxes on the iPad communication app and the “selector” allows the user to select the desired box and “say” the associated word or phrase. Utilizing these connected devices in unison, the user can navigate the Say Hi! iPad communication app with almost no physical movement. Nothing like this currently exists.
“There are a number of great iPad AAC apps out there, but none of them are effective unless the user has the dexterity to navigate the iPad touchscreen,” said Bill Strong, theGSF co-founder. “We built Say Hi! AAC to solve that problem for those with severe physical challenges and we’re really excited to see how Say Hi! AAC opens the world for those with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), ALS/Lou Gehrig’s, and other challenging conditions. We’re also proud that the app is available for free in the Apple App Store.”
To download Say Hi! for free, search for “Say Hi! AAC” in the Apple App Store from your iPad, iPhone, or iTouch device.
For more information on Say Hi! AAC, please visit SayHiAAC.com.
About Gwendolyn Strong Foundation (theGSF) – The Gwendolyn Strong Foundation (theGSF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing global awareness of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), the #1 genetic killer of young children, accelerating research focused on ending this cruel disease, and supporting families impacted by SMA and other life-altering conditions. theGSF is an all volunteer organization, meaning all donations go directly toward fulfilling our mission. To learn more about SMA and theGSF, please visit theGSF.org