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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1518973
AssistiveWare ushers in next generation of augmentative and alternative communication technology How app development company AssistiveWare is innovating augmentative and alternative communication software. Every afternoon, 9-year-old Jay accompanies his mother Meghan Ashburn and his twin brother Nick to Virginia Beach, where they unwind from the day’s stimulation at school, in their home, and out in the rest of the world. When Ashburn asks Jay why he loves the beach, he picks the “sunset” button, then says, “No school. Yes beach.” In 2015, Jay was diagnosed with autism. By the age of 4, he started using Proloquo2Go, an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) app created by development company AssistiveWare, available for iPhone and iPad. “The beach has always been a place where Jay can explore and relax on his terms,” Ashburn explains. “As a family, we visit as often as the weather allows. He loves the sand, the waves, and the gorgeous sunsets.” Bringing this technology to Apple devices represented a considerable shift for AAC users and David Niemeijer, AssistiveWare’s founder and CEO. With AAC available on consumer devices, the number of people who could