Wow – TouchChat is a heavy hitter in the realm of AAC app’s for iPhone and iPad. And the autism community is better because of it. TouchChat has settings galore and functionality like crazy. Right along the same lines with Proloquo2Go, the app that pretty well sets the standards among AAC app’s. Well, TouchChat is setting standards of its own… and those standards are high.

There’s not much TouchChat doesn’t do. If I were to highlight every feature of this app I’d need more than just one web page in which to do it. So, let me just say this; Basically, TouchChat does everything that every other AAC app does and MORE. Plus, with in-app purchases you can add functionality which really makes it skyrocket in usefulness. For example, you can purchase additional vocabulary sets and get the ability to exchange vocabulary sets with other people. Woa.

TouchChat offers voice recording functionality for exchanging messages between, say, your kid’s teacher and you. It also gives you the ability to change the background color of individual cells for items/icons. That is huge for differentiating cells for visual learners! And that’s just the tip of what this app offers. It uses the same PixelStyx images that Proloquo2Go uses and the same high quality voices too. Optionally, you can record your own voice if you like.

OK, let me back up a little. TouchChat is an augmentative and alternative communication app. You touch and it talks. It allows individuals who cannot speak to communicate by spelling or selecting icons from a visual display. But, as I’ve stated above, this is one app that goes way beyond simply ‘touch’ and ‘talk’.

Text-to-Speech? Yes. Using your own images and your own voice? Of course. Word prediction? Yep. Pleasing, easy-to-use interface? Check. Multiple keyboards to choose from to best meet an individual’s need? Uh huh. Ability to read your mind? Well, maybe in a future version of TouchChat. The developer even says the app can invoke Apple’s built-in keyboard if you like and it can even be used with Apple’s Bluetooth keyboard for iPad if you properly customize your vocabulary set for it. I couldn’t test this feature, but I’m not surprised that TouchChat does it.

Oh, and this app supports VGA out so, with the right adapter, your child can use TouchChat to present in front of his or her class. How’s that for inclusion?

With all the amazing functionality this app offers I am humbled at the thought of suggesting improvements. But, the full name of this app, the version for the iPad that I’m reviewing, is TouchChat HD – AAC with Wordpower. ‘HD’ is a misnomer because this app is not in high definition. The developers would be wise to make it in true HD since iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch all have high definition displays OR the developer should eliminate ‘HD’ from the app’s name. (Regarding the HD thing, it’s important to note that since TouchChat contains over 10,000 symbols having it at standard resolution saves memory and makes the app perform faster. Thanks to the developer for reminding me of that fact.)

Also, their ‘wipe text’ and ‘back’ and ‘home’ buttons on the right side of the screen blend in with the other icons way too well. They need to do something about that to make it visually less confusing. And TouchChat gives the user the power to customize these buttons, so technically, you can handle this issue yourself.

In conclusion, anybody with autism or any other disability looking for a serious AAC app for iPhone or iPad would be a fool not to consider TouchChat. It’s one of the most pricey app’s I’ve seen, but it packs a very big punch, and it’s incredibly less expensive than buying a DynaVox or any other stand-alone AAC device. The bar just got lifted higher.