Windows Azure-based Talking Tiles Provides Windows 8 Assistive Communication App

Windows Store continues to dramatically increase its number of apps. Many of these apps are games, productivity, organization and gaming programs. Every once in a while though, Windows Store will bring us something truly unique, and that’s exactly where TalkingTILES comes in.

I’ll start by saying that this is a niche app for those with communication and/or speech disabilities, and their caregivers and professionals that aide them. Obviously this app is not for everyone, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important.

With the TalkingTILES app, Windows 8 and Windows RT devices become powerful tools that can truly make a difference in the life of someone with communication disabilities, such as someone with autism.

The app is developed by Mozzaz, and offers 50,000 symbols and words, more than 30 accents and voices, and is designed to be highly customizable. With remote programming and team collaboration tools, this app can be tailored to the needs of its user.

TalkingTILES isn’t something new in and of itself, as it originally arrived back in November of 2012. What’s new is that this powerful tool has been turned into a highly polished Windows Store ‘modern’ app, utilizing tools such as Windows Azure.

Here are the key features and benefits for the app, as according to Mozzaz:

Easily use and manage images, symbols, words, layouts, audio and voice output
Create and manage multiple speech pages for home, school, routines, visual schedules and more
Access fully customizable vocabulary sets based on picture symbols or personalized images
Remote programming and team collaboration
Data tracking against client assessment and treatment plans
Available on all popular tablets and smartphone platforms including Apple, Android and Windows

TalkingTILES continues to gain traction in the professional world. Here is just one of the quotes from a real healthcare center that utilizes the program, this one from Darryl Nurse of Aisling Discoveries Child and Family Centre:

“We run our Autism Centre on Windows PC’s and are increasingly using tablets as a therapeutic delivery tool, so we are extremely excited to be able to make a Windows 8 version of TalkingTILES available to our clients and their families.  This application has the potential to unlock communication barriers for children with autism, and should enable us to move clients to new levels of independence and ability.”

TalkingTILES is free for those in fields such as speech therapy and as you can see could certainly make a big difference when it comes to communication for those that need it. The fact that it supports a wide range of platforms is just another way that TalkingTILES stands out from other assistive communication apps, many of which are designed for just Apple’s iPad.

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