TD Snap - A Crashcourse

Welcome to TD Snap!
As you start this journey with using AAC with your child, learning how to use a communication program
can seem overwhelming. Here’s a crash course on how to use, edit, and customize your child’s
communication device.

This is the first screen you’re going to see when you open up the device. The grid size might be bigger,
smaller, or the same. Functionally, they all work the same way.

The left side of the screen has a toolbar. This toolbar will stay constant regardless of what folder/page
you navigate to.

The back button does just what it’s supposed Core words are vocabuilary that your child QucikFires are little words and messages
to do, take you back one page. can use in every environment. They’re very used to quickly get what you need, keep
functional and where we try and teach kids conversation going, gain attention, or
to start using their device. comment.
Core vocabulary is a small set of high-frequency words that make up a majority of everything we say.
They are used across all environments, age levels, and in all parts of speech. Research tells us that
approximately 200 words make up 80% of our vocabulary.

Teaching core vocabulary can help your child communicate broadly across environments and activities.

Where are the rest of the words?

“All Word Lists” contain everything else you could ever need. It’s separated by category into folders. Your
child will use some more than others. If you don’t think your child needs a certain folder right now, or the
grid is too overwhelming, you can edit the grid and hide/take away any icons you see fit.

All the words in these folders are deemed fringe vocabulary.

Fringe vocabulary is a set of low-frequency words that are specific to a particular person or activity.
Fringe vocabulary words are typically nouns. Again, these words are highly specific to a single activity
and are generally only useful when talking about a playground, school, or other contexts. Instead,
teaching core words could help your child communicate on the playground and in other environments.

When a child is able to combine core words with fringe vocabulary, it gives them a
powerful and flexible tool to communicate whatever they want to say.
Editing Buttons
To edit, you’re going to start by clicking on the icon in the top right-hand corner

It’ll open up Edit Mode and look like this:

The “content” page is meant to edit the word itself. You can change the word, picture, icon to whatever
you want. The camera icon can be used to add real photos instead of clip-art.

The “style” page will help you edit the look of a button. You can change the font, borders, color, etc.
How to Edit the Grid
The toolbar on the right-hand side of the screen is meant to help organize and edit the whole grid. Each
of the icons help with the following:

Undo Edits Select Multiple Buttons

Select All Buttons

Redo Edits

Copy Button Hide/Unhide Buttons

Swap Button Placement

Paste Button

Select Button Delete Button

You can also drag & drop icons to move them around the screen.

Changing the Voice

In edit mode, under the “user” tab, there is a speaking voice section you can use to change the voice. They
have child and adult voices of any and all accents. If you child wants to sound like Yoda or Batman, those
are options.

Editing your child’s device helps make the device more “theirs.” Every person
has their own words/voice/personality, and we want their method of
communication to reflect that.
I can’t find a button
TD Snap has this fancy feature where you can search for any button, whether it’s hidden or not. It will
help you navigate to the correct page to help you and your child say what you want to say.

Search for whatever word your looking for and pick the correct one. There might be multiple places or
similar words to what you want.

Please model the device to your child like you would verbal language. This is their VOICE and they need
to learn how to use it effectively and efficiently.

The average 18-month-old has been exposed to 4,380 hours of oral language at a rate of 8
hours/day from birth. A child who has a communication system (AAC) and receives
speech/language therapy 2 times/week for 20-30 minutes will reach the same amount of
language exposure (in their AAC language) in 84 years.
If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact the Northwest Autism Center’s speech-
language pathologists any time.

Lauren Nixon, M.S. CCC-SLP Brenna Speerbrecher, M.S. CCC-SLP

E: [email protected] E: [email protected]
P: (509) 328-1582 ext. 211 P: (509) 328-1582 ext. 109