Avaz vs CoughDrop

Avaz is a picture- and text-based AAC app for people with complex communication needs to express themselves and learn. Its category-based vocabulary is available across three grades of core vocabulary, with a consistent layout and motor patterns. Keyboard prediction can correct spelling mistakes and can be set to show suggestions after a delay. Users can add words, personalize pictures, and change settings through the Settings Wizard. The Activity Dashboard and Communication Adventures offer caregivers activity ideas, strategies, and modeling training. Avaz Analytics presents communication development in graphs and charts for therapists. Dropbox can be linked to back up and sync vocabulary across devices; users can also import or export pages to share with other Avaz users. The app provides speech output and supports touch, switch, and eye-gaze access on iOS and Android, in multiple languages. Avaz also offers FreeSpeech for English grammar practice using picture tiles, and Reader, which supports reading with hints and help for learners including children with dyslexia and first-generation English speakers. Avaz AAC – English costs $149.99, paid once and includes a free 2-week trial.

CoughDrop is an augmentative and alternative communication platform for people with complex communication needs. It provides customizable vocabulary sets, built-in supports, assessment tools and vocabulary progression, with speech output. Users can share pages, send two-way messages and use remote modeling. Access methods include switches and eye or head tracking. The service runs on Android, iOS, web and Windows, and supports offline use with cloud backup; however, Android app syncing requires an internet connection, so offline syncing is unavailable there. Teams can collaborate on pagesets, and reports and goal-setting tools help practitioners and staff track progress. Site licenses add organization management, license reassignment, centralized reporting and optional single sign-on support. The homepage offers two months to try the product before purchase and describes one-time, annual site-license and month-to-month payment options without prices. The listed Communicator Access plan costs $9 a month per communicator. CoughDrop serves communicators, families, therapists, educators and care teams.