Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) apps are great tools for students with speech, language, and communication difficulties, autism, as well as for students with a variety of mobility challenges. These apps have also become much more common in recent years, where 10 years ago dedicated AAC hardware was much more common. Among the growing number of AAC apps available today, SymbolStix Prime stands out for its focus on symbol-supported communication and accessible language supports.

SymbolStix Prime is a visual communication and content-creation platform designed to support students who benefit from symbol-supported learning. Developed by Everway, the tool helps educators create visual supports, communication boards, and learning materials that make classroom content more accessible for students with communication, language, or cognitive challenges.

The app uses a large library of visual symbols to help represent words, ideas, and instructions. The platform includes more than 100,000 symbols that can be used to build visual schedules, choice boards, worksheets, and communication supports. These visuals help students understand information, express their needs, and participate more actively in classroom activities. For many learners who rely on visual supports or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), symbol-supported materials can make instructions clearer and reduce frustration when communicating.

One of the strengths of SymbolStix Prime is how easily educators can create and customize materials. Teachers can build communication boards, visual charts, and classroom resources directly within the platform. Symbols can be modified to reflect different skin tones, cultural representations, and languages, helping ensure that students see themselves represented in the materials they use. Educators can also upload their own photos and combine them with symbols to create personalized supports that reflect a student’s environment or daily routines.

The app also includes tools designed to save time while supporting individualized instruction. Ready-made templates and pre-built symbol collections allow educators to quickly create activities without starting from scratch. In addition to that, educators have the option to show or hide symbols, highlight text, and adjust reading speed as needed.

SymbolStix Prime was designed to be highly inclusive, as it supports multiple languages and includes culturally diverse symbol sets so that materials can be adapted for a wide range of learners. In addition to academic vocabulary, the symbol library also includes symbols for real-world topics such as safety, relationships, and self-advocacy, allowing educators to support communication not only in academic lessons but also in everyday social and life-skills contexts.

SymbolStix Prime is available on any browser. The cost for the app is approximately $250 CDN per year, and each license includes one service provider access, with up 15 student licenses. To learn more, click here.

This post originally appeared on the AT Help Desk website.

Tags: apps, assistive technology, AT HelpDesk, Atlantic Regional Office