Mobile Applications

Special Learning's Communicating Basic Needs App for the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad

is a tool to support parents and providers in helping children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other language disabilities to communicate effectively. The Communicating Basic Needs App for the iPod Touch and iPhone uses actual photographs of colorful and beautiful images of everyday things that a child sees to help him easily communicate his basic needs while having fun.

This app was developed under the guidance of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and organized in a manner found to be successful in practice.

With this Communication App, your child finally has a "voice" to express themselves.

    Special Learning's Communicating Basic Needs App FULL VERSION
    for the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad

    is a highly effective app that is designed to allow children with Autism and other language disabilities quickly and effectively communicate their basic wants and needs using a highly attractive, simple to use icon based system. The app is filled with colorful and vivid photographs of everyday items that a child sees around him to facilitate easy communication and to keep a child engaged and motivated to use the device. The FULL VERSION of the app provides extensive customization and reporting functions. Through its web interface, Mobile Dashboard, parents and providers can fully customize the app by uploading their own image and voice files. They can also run reports to track frequency data from the device by synchronizing the app with the mobile dashboard. This app was developed under the guidance of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and organized in a manner found to be successful in practice.

Key features of the App include:

  • Highly intuitive and kid friendly interface. The interface was designed specifically for use of children with ASD. It offers very simple navigation and is colorful and intuitive, making it easy for children to learn and use without a lot of instructions.
  • Versatility. The App contains three different photographs of every item in each of the five main categories to allow therapists to teach generalization skills to children that are ready to learn these skills.
  • Versatility. Within the four categories of food, drinks, clothing and toys, caretakers can customize the items on the device by using the enable/disable function in the "Icon Library" to select only those items that are appropriate for their child.

App Customization

Through the "Settings" field in the "Admin" section, the app offers an abundance of customization features including:

  • Four "Voice" options;
  • Five "Themes" or backgrounds: default, aquatic, butterfly, creatures, and trucks;
  • Two "Picture Size" options: small, and large;
  • Ability to choose "Word" or "Phrase" for emotions icons;
  • Ability to enable or disable "Item Titles" which appear on top of each icon and;
  • Ability to randomize 3 different images for each item.

The FULL version has several important additional features:

  • Access to Special Learning's Mobile Dashboard, a powerful web-based portal, users can further customize the numerous features already available on the app.
  • Full customization of the app achieved by enabling users to synchronize to and from the device and the Mobile Dashboard, making it the most flexible and most personalized app available.

Special Learning's Mobile Dashboard

is a web-based portal where users of the Communicating Basic Needs app can truly personalize the app by further customizing the features seen on their devices. It is through this powerful portal that users can:


  • Upload their own image and voice files to replace or modify the pre-loaded images;
  • Synchronize their device to their mobile dashboard's customized settings;
  • Reset all images to the preloaded settings;
  • Store and download statistical data from their device's Reports page;
  • Run and view queries by time and date ranges in both chart and graphic formats and;
  • Manage all purchased apps from Special Learning.

Special Learning's Mobile Dashboard completes the over-all personalized experience of the Communicating Basic Needs app.

Watch the Communicating Basic Needs App in Action!

Sage and Savvy

by Gem

The ComApp3 app was very easy for my boys to use, and as a mother of a child with an ASD, I can definitely see how integral it is for those with the inability to communicate.

Read more: http://www.sageandsavvy.com

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Happy mom

By Happymom818

I was looking for some apps for my daughter with down's Syndrome to try when I came across comapp. After downloading it. I let her tinker with the app. I was so surprised that she was copying the voices correctly. My daughter has been having speech therapy but remains to verbalize only a few words and for the most part can't be understood. She kept on pressing pizza and showing me while copying the voice. I was teary-eyed to hear her say the objects on the app and I felt so much hope for her.

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Brilliant App

By Charisse Tiongson

My 2 year old daughter loves the colorful pictures. I think this app is perfect not only for kids with autism and language difficulties but for all kids who are learning in general.

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Dannie's Mom

By Ccleary

Among all the apps I have downloaded for my daughter, this is the one she uses more. It maybe because of the use of real images, making it easy for her to relate it to what she sees in real life. She also likes the little girl's voice, imitating it as much as she can. Great job!

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