Techcess is a UK based distributor of solutions that meet the needs of people with complex communication challenges. We call our solutions 'Talking Technology' which is another phrase for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
This blog seeks to provide useful information about AAC, about our company and whatever else is relevant to our industry.
One of the easiest ways to obtain information on pretty much everything is by going online and searching for it. One of the hardest things for a company such as Techcess is making sure that they have information present that is useful to their customers on their website.
One area that Techcess has addressed is the information available regarding the Mind Express communication software. Mind Express enables the users of a tablet PC to be able to use text and symbols to piece together what they want to say to their communication partner. Once a sentence or phrase has been put together the software 'speaks' to the listener. This is great because there are many people who struggle to communicate clearly.
But Mind Express doesn't just do this! It has many features and so it is important that when Techcess tell people about the software on their website, there is information present that can help people to make good decisions about using Mind Express.
Techcess have been speaking to many people about what they would like to know from their website and have now launched a Mind Express minisite which enables people to browse resources, read case studies of successful users of Mind Express, find video tutorials of how to edit page sets etc.
Please take a look at the site and let us know what you think.
A little while ago we announced that Epping Forest College had helped two of their students who live with cerebral palsy, find a voice.
Here is their article below and if you want to find out more then feel free to contact them at www.efc.ac.uk.
College helps students to find a voice
Two students from Epping Forest College have been given a “voice” for the first time thanks to new communication technology.
Gavin King and Susan Collins are students in the College’s Preparation for Life and Work (LDD) department. Both students are in their late 50s, and have cerebral palsy. Susan has no speech whatsoever and Gavin has virtually unintelligible speech, leaving him repeating the most basic of messages over and over again until his communication can be understood.
After years of trying to teach and find alternative forms of communication that they could use, tutor Andrea Slade came across a device that she thought could be the answer.
The new assistive technology they now have are electronic AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication) devices called Allora 2, which have given them both a voice for the first time. The devices allow Gavin and Susan to communicate using text to speech.
Andrea said: ”I’ve been working with Gavin and Susan for 7 years to find an answer to their issues, trying signing, using symbols, basic electronic communication devices etc, until finally I found the perfect solution.
“I am the College lead and link for ICE (Inclusive Communications in Essex) in Chelmsford, and after a recommendation from Jason Boyce the Resource Manager, I contacted Ian Foulger from Techcess, developers of the Allora 2, who brought the devices for Gavin and Susan to test.”
After trialling the devices for the first time, Gavin and Susan had found something that could meet their needs. However, at a cost of over £3,000 each, the devices had a hefty price tag. The hunt for funding then began.
After exhausting all usual routes of funding without success, Andrea made an application with The Sequal (Special EQUipment and Aids for Living) Trust, a national fundraising Charity that is committed to bridging the communication gap for people with disabilities of all ages throughout the UK.
Andrea said: “We’re extremely grateful to Sequal for all their support in helping us to secure the
After considering the students’ cases, the Trust agreed to raise the funding needed for the devices. The College made a contribution, with the rest of the funds coming from private donations. Eventually the finance was in place, and the Allora 2 devices were bought.
Gavin said: ”This has been nothing less than life changing for me.”
Susan said: “This has given me a voice for the very first time in my life.
“We would both like to say a massive thank you to both Sequal and Epping Forest College for helping us to finally be able to talk freely with our friends and families.”
If you would like to know more about the Allora 2 specifically then please contact Techcess through our Allora minisite www.techcess.co.uk/allora or complete the form below;
Today the Team at Techcess received news about two Allora communication aids they sold some months ago.
The Alloras were purchased by Epping Forest College and were funded by the wonderful Sequal Trust.
As with most sales of AAC devices , it takes quite a while before the device is placed with the clients.
So it was a wonderful surprise to see that the college had posted an article about getting Alloras for their two students.
Please do click here to find out how they have been getting on with their new devices.
For us we are delighted that the products that we sell are carefully selected by speech and language therapists to meet the communication needs of their clients.
If you would like to know more about communication aids (or AAC) a great resource would be the charity Communication Matters.
Don't tell anyone, but Techcess is launching a new communication device for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
Whilst we can't give out any details at this stage, it is enough to say that this device will be a handheld device which not only helps with communication but also with the management of cognitive skills. It will also have a feature that no other touch screen device on the market has.
Here is a sneak peak of one of the first images of the product.....
Interested?
If you are a Speech and Language Therapist, working in a school supporting non verbal children with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, then you should sign up below to be one of the first people to find out about the product as well as be eligible to be one of the first to try the device out.
Its with great pleasure that we are able to announce that we are setting up a technology evening focusing on supporting Key Stage 2 pupils that live with Dyslexia.
The meeting will be on May 12th in the evening and will be in Cambridge, UK.
Leading the meeting will be a British Dyslexia Association accredited tutor, Emma Heras, who has her own tutor practice in Trumpington as well as working in schools across Cambridgeshire.
If you would like to attend please email John Hicks at john.hicks@techcess.co.uk and an invite will be sent to you shortly.
