10-Minute Speech Practice That Doesn't Require Sitting Still

Last updated 2026-07-09

What counts as a speech therapy material?

A speech therapy material is any object, tool, or resource a speech-language pathologist (or a parent doing home practice) uses to target a specific communication goal. That covers a lot of ground. It includes laminated picture cards you can print tonight for free and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices that cost several thousand dollars. It also includes things most people already own: bubbles, a favorite toy, a picture book, a mirror.

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association defines the SLP's scope of practice to include selecting and applying "tools, technologies, and instrumentation" appropriate to each client ^[1]. That matters for parents. It means your child's therapist is supposed to match materials to goals, not reach for the same kit with every kid.

Good materials share a few traits regardless of price. They motivate the specific child in front of you. They create a clear reason to communicate (to request, comment, or respond). They can be graded up or down as skills grow. A bubble bottle is a requesting tool at level one and a turn-taking, describing tool at level five. A $400 AAC device can be the wrong call if a child isn't scanning visually yet or has no communication partner willing to model on it every day.

This article sorts materials by what they're actually used for, what the evidence says, and what you'd realistically spend.

What are the main categories of speech therapy materials?

SLPs generally sort their toolkit into five categories. Knowing which category a material belongs to helps you shop smarter and ask sharper questions at your child's IEP meeting or therapy session.

1. Visual supports and symbol systems Picture exchange cards, communication boards, visual schedules, choice boards. The most widely used symbol libraries are Mayer-Johnson's Boardmaker (which uses PCS, or Picture Communication Symbols) and SymbolStix. Boardmaker subscriptions run roughly $99 to $299 per year depending on the tier ^[2]. Free alternatives include Widgit Online and the open-source symbol sets from ARASAAC, a Spanish government project that hosts over 12,000 free pictograms ^[3].

2. Language and literacy materials Storybooks, decodable readers, minimal-pair cards for phonology work, articulation decks, narrative retell kits. Board games like Cariboo and Zingo started as consumer products that SLPs adopted because they create natural repetition. Proprietary products from companies like Super Duper Publications and LinguiSystems show up in many clinics.

3. Oral motor and articulation tools Bite blocks, straws of varying diameters, horns, whistles, and vibrating tools like the Z-Vibe. A caution: the evidence base for non-speech oral motor exercises (NSOMEs) is weak. ASHA's own technical report states that "the existing body of research does not support the use of NSOMEs" for improving speech sound production in most populations ^[4]. That doesn't make every oral motor tool useless. But if a provider spends most of your child's session on cheek exercises, ask what speech goal that serves.

4. AAC devices and apps AAC spans low-tech paper boards all the way to dedicated speech-generating devices (SGDs). The most researched apps include Proloquo2Go (AssistiveWare), Snap Core First (Tobii Dynavox), and TouchChat HD. Dedicated SGDs like the Tobii Dynavox T10 or the PRC Accent series can run $6,000 to $10,000 before insurance or funding. For more on AAC options for autistic kids, see our overview of alternative augmentative communication devices for autism.

5. Data collection and assessment tools These stay mostly out of sight for parents but matter just as much. Standardized tests like the CELF-5 (Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, 5th edition) and the GFTA-3 (Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation, 3rd edition) cost several hundred dollars each and are norm-referenced, meaning they compare your child to age peers. Informal tools include probe sheets and progress monitoring logs, which any competent SLP should generate at every session.

Which speech therapy materials have the strongest research support?

Here's the honest part. A lot of materials are popular because they're fun, well-marketed, or have been around for decades, not because trials proved them out. The strongest evidence clusters around a handful of approaches.

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) has more than two decades of peer-reviewed research behind it, especially for minimally verbal children with autism. A randomized controlled trial published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (2007) found PECS training increased functional communication and, in some children, promoted vocal speech alongside picture exchange ^[5]. PECS training for parents and professionals is a separate credential that runs around $250 to $400 for a two-day workshop.

Aided language stimulation, sometimes called aided language input, means the communication partner points to or activates symbols on an AAC system while talking. A systematic review published in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (2014) found consistent positive effects on symbol comprehension and production across 23 studies ^[6]. The material required is whatever AAC system the child already uses. The real "material" here is the adult's behavior, which is worth remembering when families assume they need to buy more stuff.

Repetitive storybooks are one of the most cost-effective tools going. Books with predictable, repeated language patterns ("Brown Bear, Brown Bear" is the classic) give a child learning to anticipate and fill in language a low-pressure scaffold. A systematic review in Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools (2008) supported shared reading as a context for vocabulary and grammar targets ^[7].

For articulation, motor learning principles applied to speech sound treatment, as in the DTTC (Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing) approach, have growing evidence for childhood apraxia of speech. The materials are minimal: the clinician's face, a mirror, and a carefully structured practice schedule.

How much do speech therapy materials cost?

Costs swing wildly. Here's a realistic breakdown by category.

For most families doing home practice, the honest answer is you don't need to spend much. A set of laminated pictures printed from ARASAAC, a few motivating small toys (cars, puzzles, bubbles, Play-Doh), and a mirror cover the vast majority of what an early intervention home program needs.

AAC devices are a different story. If your child needs a speech-generating device, Medicaid covers dedicated SGDs for eligible children under age 21 under the durable medical equipment benefit ^[8]. Private insurance coverage is more variable. ASHA maintains AAC funding guidance that is worth reading before you start that process ^[1].

What speech therapy materials should parents use at home?

The most common mistake parents make is buying a therapy app or card set and using it like a quiz, holding up cards and asking "what's this?" over and over. That produces test-taking behavior, not language. Materials work when they're folded into real back-and-forth where the child actually needs to communicate something.

Here's what earns its place in home practice at different stages.

Children under 3 or at the single-word stage: Motivating toys you control access to (so the child has a reason to request), simple cause-and-effect toys, bubbles. The material almost doesn't matter. What matters is that you pause, wait, and leave space for communication. A milk jug with holes cut in it and some pom poms can pull more language out of a child than a $60 therapy set, if the child finds it interesting.

Children building early sentences: Core vocabulary boards (print these from Boardmaker or ARASAAC for free) posted in the kitchen, playroom, and bathroom. The point is having symbols available in every place communication happens. Story kits, which pair a simple narrative structure with small objects, help children retell and eventually build their own short stories.

Children working on articulation: A mirror is your best tool. Most phoneme-specific targets don't need special materials. They need a home practice schedule with enough repetitions, and that schedule comes from your SLP. Ask your therapist to send home a probe sheet with the exact words to practice and how many times.

AAC users: The most important material is a charged, accessible device available all day, more than at therapy time. Research shows communication systems put away "for therapy" don't generalize. Your job as a home communicator is to model on the device yourself, not to prompt the child to use it.

If you want support between sessions, AI-based companion tools have started filling this gap. Little Words (littlewords.ai) is one, built specifically for neurodivergent kids, that lets families practice language targets in a low-pressure format outside clinic hours. Take their quiz to see if it fits your child's current goals.

For a fuller picture of home therapy in practice, the speech therapy for kids guide covers the logistics in more depth.

What materials do SLPs use differently for autism vs. other diagnoses?

Autism communication work tends to bring in AAC earlier, prioritize functional communication over elicited imitation, and use naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs) that embed language targets in play and daily routines.

For children with autism, the research supports functional communication training (FCT), which swaps challenging behavior for a communicative equivalent. The materials are usually whatever the child's current modality is: gestures, a picture card, a speech-generating device. FCT doesn't need special materials. It needs a therapist who understands behavioral function.

For children with speech delay or developmental language disorder without autism, the toolkit overlaps heavily, but the weighting shifts. More time goes to storybook-based language stimulation, narrative retell tasks, and phonological awareness activities if literacy is a target.

For childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), the materials favor motor practice: mirrors, tactile cuing (sometimes with a tool like the Nuffield mouth diagram set), and metronomes or rhythm cues for rate and prosody.

For stuttering, the materials are mostly worksheets, charts, and speaking hierarchies, because the work is cognitive-behavioral and self-monitoring rather than object-based.

See the dedicated piece on autism spectrum speech therapy for a closer look at evidence-based approaches for autistic kids.

Do you need a PhD to understand or use speech therapy materials?

No. That question shows up in a specific form: some parents searching "speech and language therapy PhD" want to know whether they need advanced credentials to make sense of the professional literature, or whether the materials clinicians use are available to anyone.

The materials themselves are mostly open to anyone. ARASAAC symbol libraries are publicly available ^[3]. Boardmaker sells home licenses. PECS starter kits are on Amazon. AAC apps download from the App Store. The barrier isn't access to materials. It's knowing what to do with them, which is where a licensed SLP's training actually lives.

An SLP with a master's degree (the standard clinical entry-level credential in the US) has finished ASHA-recognized graduate coursework in assessment, treatment planning, and supervised clinical hours ^[1]. A speech and language therapy PhD is a research degree, usually pursued by people headed into university faculty or clinical research programs. PhD-holding SLPs shape the evidence base that decides which materials practitioners use. They're not usually the people running your child's weekly therapy.

For early intervention speech and language therapy, the providers working with children under 3 in the US operate under IDEA Part C ^[9], and services come from credentialed SLPs or SLP assistants under supervision. Parents don't need the PhD literature to use materials well at home. They need clear targets from their child's therapist and enough modeling to run the activities right.

How do SLPs decide which materials to use for a specific child?

Selection starts with assessment. Before any material comes out, a good SLP has a picture of the child's communication profile: expressive and receptive language levels, articulation and phonology, pragmatic skills (how they use language socially), and their sensory and motor profile. That picture comes from standardized testing, dynamic assessment, caregiver interview, and direct observation combined.

From that profile, the SLP writes goals with measurable criteria ("will request preferred items using a two-symbol AAC combination in 4 of 5 opportunities across 3 sessions," not "will communicate better"). The material follows the goal, not the reverse.

In practice, a child at the single-word requesting stage gets a low-tech choice board and a communication-temptation setup with preferred items just out of reach. A child working on /r/ at the word level gets an articulation word list and a mirror. A child with language disorder working on story grammar gets a narrative retell kit with visual story map supports.

Selection also accounts for the child's sensory preferences. A child who hates certain textures won't touch clay or manipulatives, no matter how sound the activity is on paper. Motivation drives engagement. Engagement drives repetition. Repetition drives learning. That's why "what does your child love?" is one of the first things an experienced SLP asks.

What free speech therapy materials are actually worth using?

Several free resources are genuinely good and used by practicing SLPs.

ARASAAC (arasaac.org) is a Spanish government-funded project with over 12,000 free pictographic symbols in many languages ^[3]. You can build communication boards, visual schedules, and choice boards at no cost. The symbols are licensed for free educational and therapeutic use.

Boardmaker Share and Teachers Pay Teachers hold thousands of free SLP-created materials, though quality is all over the map. Stick to materials from verified SLP creators who describe the target population and goal alignment.

The Hanen Centre (hanen.org) publishes free articles and strategy guides drawn from its evidence-based parent training programs. Its It Takes Two to Talk program is a paid course, but the free resources on the site are accurate and usable.

ASHA's public resources (asha.org) include free, evidence-based parent guides on late talking, early language milestones, and AAC ^[1].

The AAC Language Lab (aaclanguagelab.com) from AssistiveWare offers free implementation guides, vocabulary frameworks, and activity boards built around core vocabulary.

For low-cost physical materials, dollar stores are genuinely useful for small manipulatives, bubbles, and sensory items that create communication opportunities. A well-run home practice program can stay under $25 if you're willing to print and laminate.

How do AAC apps compare to dedicated speech-generating devices?

This is one of the most practically loaded questions families face. The honest answer: it depends on the child's motor access needs, environment, and funding.

iPad-based AAC apps like Proloquo2Go ($249.99) or TouchChat HD ($149.99) run on consumer hardware. An iPad itself starts around $329. The total system runs $500 to $800, far below a dedicated SGD. iPad apps update often, work with switch access and eye gaze accessories, and feel familiar to most children. The downside: iPads break, get hijacked for YouTube between sessions, and can be harder to fund through insurance as a "medical device."

Dedicated speech-generating devices from Tobii Dynavox or PRC-Saltillo are ruggedized, often waterproof, and prescribed as durable medical equipment. They qualify for Medicaid funding under the DME benefit for children under 21 ^[8]. Funding usually requires a team evaluation including an SLP and often an assistive technology specialist. The evaluation report documents medical necessity, which is the standard Medicaid requires. Private insurance approvals vary by state and plan.

A 2021 review in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology found no systematic advantage of dedicated SGDs over high-quality app-based systems for language learning outcomes, though it noted that funding access and device durability are real-world factors the research doesn't fully capture ^[10].

If your child is in school, the IEP team can recommend an AT evaluation at no cost to the family under IDEA ^[9]. That evaluation should drive the device decision, not a guess made at a store.

What should parents look for when buying speech therapy materials online?

The speech therapy materials market is barely regulated. Anyone can slap "speech therapy" on a product. A few quick filters.

First, check whether the material names a target population and a communication goal. "Builds language skills" is a marketing claim. "Targets two-word requesting in children using picture symbols" describes a goal-aligned material.

Second, look for materials developed or vetted by licensed SLPs. The US credential is the CCC-SLP (Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology), issued by ASHA ^[1]. That credential attached to a product developer is a meaningful quality signal.

Third, be skeptical of anything sold around non-speech oral motor exercises (NSOMEs): cheek exercisers, bite blocks marketed as "speech development tools," tongue-strengthening gadgets for children with no documented dysphagia. ASHA's position is plain that these approaches lack evidence for speech sound production improvement ^[4].

Fourth, for AAC, materials should be built around a strong core vocabulary. Core vocabulary (words used across all contexts: "want," "more," "stop," "go," "help") makes up roughly 80% of what we say day to day and should anchor any AAC system. Fringe vocabulary (specific nouns like "elephant" or "spaghetti") matters too, but shouldn't dominate the layout.

For children with speech delay or a documented communication difference, run planned purchases by your SLP before spending real money. A trained clinician can tell you in five minutes whether a tool fits your child's current goals.

How do speech therapy materials fit into an IEP or early intervention plan?

Under IDEA Part B, children ages 3 to 21 with qualifying disabilities receive special education services, which can include speech-language services, at no cost to the family ^[9]. Under IDEA Part C, early intervention services for children birth to age 3 are delivered in the natural environment, which means your home counts. The materials used in those sessions should be documented in the IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan) or IEP.

Parents have the right to ask which materials school-based speech therapy is using and why. You can request session notes. You can ask for a home program that mirrors what's happening at school. Many families don't know to ask, and school-based SLPs, who carry caseloads of 50 or more students in many districts, don't always have time to start these conversations.

If the school provides an AAC device through the IEP, that device usually stays at school unless the IEP explicitly gives the child the right to take it home. Push for take-home access. A device that lives in one environment cannot produce generalized communication. ASHA's position supports device access across all environments ^[1].

For children in early intervention speech and language therapy, the IFSP gets reviewed every six months and should be updated to reflect new material needs as goals change. Your state's Part C coordinator can help if you're unsure what you're entitled to.

See the pediatric speech therapy guide for more on how school-based services work alongside private therapy.

What's a good starting toolkit for home speech practice?

Keep it simple. The goal of home practice is generalization: taking what your child learned in a clinic and getting it to show up at breakfast, in the car, at bath time.

Here's a starter list that costs under $50 and lines up with what SLPs recommend for carryover:

1. A core vocabulary board printed from ARASAAC and laminated (about $5 at an office store, or already-laminated at a print shop). 2. Three to five small motivating toys your child doesn't have free access to (cars, bubbles, small figures, a wind-up toy). Access control creates requesting opportunities. 3. Two to three repetitive-language picture books from the library (free). 4. A mirror, positioned somewhere you practice regularly. 5. A simple data sheet to track what you practiced and how the child responded.

Your SLP should be sending home specific targets. If they're not, ask. "What three words or phrases should we practice this week?" is a fair question at every session.

One thing that helps enormously and costs nothing: follow your child's lead. The research is consistent that child-directed interaction, where the adult follows the child's attention instead of redirecting it, produces more language growth than adult-led drill, especially for children under 5. A 2018 Cochrane review of parent-implemented language interventions found positive effects on language outcomes when parents were trained in responsive interaction techniques ^[11].

If your child is already in therapy, the online speech therapy page covers how teletherapy changes the material picture and what you can reasonably do at home between sessions.

And if you're still figuring out where your child sits developmentally, Little Words offers a free quiz that helps parents pick which communication goals to prioritize and which materials fit where the child is right now.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common speech therapy materials used with toddlers?

The most common materials for toddlers are motivating small toys that create requesting opportunities (bubbles, puzzles, cause-and-effect toys), simple choice boards with two to four pictures, repetitive-language storybooks, and a mirror for articulation work. The goal at this stage is creating communication opportunities, not formal drill. Most of what works for toddlers costs very little and already exists in most homes.

Can I use speech therapy materials at home without a therapist?

Yes, with guidance. Many families run daily home practice using materials their child's SLP provided or recommended. The key is having specific targets (more than 'work on talking') and knowing how to use each material correctly. Buying materials without knowing the child's goals tends to produce quizzing rather than language. Coordinate with a licensed SLP when you can, especially for children with significant delays.

Are there free speech therapy materials online?

Yes. ARASAAC (arasaac.org) offers over 12,000 free pictographic symbols for communication boards and visual schedules. ASHA's website has free parent guides. Teachers Pay Teachers has many free SLP-made resources, though quality varies. The AAC Language Lab from AssistiveWare provides free core vocabulary boards and implementation guides. Most functional materials for early language work can be assembled for free or very low cost with some printing and laminating.

What is a core vocabulary board and how do I make one?

A core vocabulary board is a grid of the most frequently used words in daily communication: words like 'want,' 'more,' 'stop,' 'go,' 'help,' 'like,' 'no.' These high-frequency words make up roughly 80% of what we say. You can build one using free ARASAAC symbols, arrange them in a grid in PowerPoint or Google Slides, print, and laminate. Your SLP can advise which words to prioritize for your child's current level.

Does insurance cover AAC devices and speech therapy materials?

Medicaid covers dedicated speech-generating devices (SGDs) for eligible children under 21 as durable medical equipment, provided an SLP documents medical necessity. Private insurance coverage varies significantly by state and plan. iPad apps like Proloquo2Go are generally not covered as DME because they run on consumer hardware. For school-age children, assistive technology evaluations and some devices may be covered through the IEP under IDEA at no family cost.

What materials are used for childhood apraxia of speech?

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) treatment relies on motor learning principles rather than special objects. The main materials are a mirror for visual feedback, sometimes a tactile cueing guide (like the Nuffield Dyspraxia Programme charts), and carefully structured practice schedules with many repetitions. The DTTC (Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing) approach has growing evidence. Oral motor toys and cheek exercises are not supported by research for CAS.

What is the difference between Boardmaker and ARASAAC symbols?

Boardmaker uses PCS (Picture Communication Symbols) developed by Mayer-Johnson and requires a paid subscription ($99 to $299 per year). PCS symbols are widely used in clinics and schools and are highly recognizable. ARASAAC is a free, open-licensed symbol library from a Spanish government project with over 12,000 pictograms in multiple languages. Both are used in clinical practice; ARASAAC is a genuinely excellent free alternative for families and lower-budget programs.

What speech therapy materials work best for nonverbal or minimally verbal children?

For minimally verbal children, the strongest evidence supports AAC: picture exchange systems (PECS has the most research), strong core vocabulary AAC apps, or dedicated speech-generating devices. Aided language stimulation, where communication partners model on the AAC system throughout the day, is central to building comprehension and use. Research does not support waiting for a set number of spoken words before introducing AAC; early introduction does not suppress speech development.

How do I know if a speech therapy app is actually evidence-based?

Look for apps built around a documented communication framework (core vocabulary, PECS phases, or a named evidence-based approach) and developed or validated by credentialed SLPs. Check whether the developer has published any clinical data. Be skeptical of apps claiming to 'teach speech' through passive viewing or games without any documented communication system. ASHA's special interest groups and university AT centers sometimes publish reviews of specific apps.

What materials are used in teletherapy or online speech therapy sessions?

In online speech therapy, SLPs share their screen to display digital picture cards, symbol boards, articulation materials, and interactive activities. Many digital libraries, including Boom Cards and digital Boardmaker files, are designed for telepractice. Parents are often asked to gather physical objects at home before sessions. Some materials work better in person; highly sensory or hands-on activities (like Play-Doh) need the parent to run them at home with SLP coaching.

At what age should a child start using AAC?

There is no minimum age for AAC introduction. Research supports introducing AAC as soon as a child shows communication needs that exceed their current verbal output. ASHA and the AAC research community have moved away from 'candidacy' criteria that required prerequisite skills. Children as young as 12 to 18 months have been successfully introduced to low-tech symbol systems. The guiding principle: communication needs exist now, so support for communication should start now.

Do speech therapy materials differ for adults and children?

Yes, meaningfully. Adult speech therapy often targets aphasia (language recovery after stroke), voice disorders, dysphagia (swallowing), and stuttering. Materials for aphasia recovery include word retrieval apps, semantic feature analysis worksheets, and reading materials graded for complexity. Adult articulation or voice materials focus on specific biomechanical targets rather than developmental phonology. The vocabulary in adult AAC systems reflects adult life contexts, not childhood themes.

What do SLPs actually use most in private practice?

Based on surveys of ASHA members, the most commonly used materials in pediatric private practice are Boardmaker or a comparable symbol library, articulation card decks (Super Duper, Webber), motivating toys and manipulatives chosen per child, narrative retell kits, and at least one AAC app. Many experienced SLPs lean heavily on materials already in the child's environment and spend less on commercial kits than newer practitioners assume.

Is there a difference between speech therapy materials and language therapy materials?

In clinical practice, speech and language therapy covers both. Speech refers to the physical production of sounds (articulation, fluency, voice). Language refers to understanding and use of words, sentences, and social communication. Articulation card decks, mirrors, and tactile cuing tools are more 'speech' specific. Picture books, narrative kits, symbol boards, and vocabulary activities are more 'language' specific. Most children seen by SLPs have needs in both areas at once.

Sources

1. ASHA, Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology: ASHA defines SLP scope of practice to include selecting and applying tools, technologies, and instrumentation appropriate to each client; also source for CCC-SLP credential information and AAC funding guidance.
2. Mayer-Johnson / Tobii Dynavox, Boardmaker pricing: Boardmaker subscriptions run approximately $99 to $299 per year depending on license tier.
3. ARASAAC (Aragonese Portal of Augmentative and Alternative Communication), Spanish Government: ARASAAC hosts over 12,000 free pictographic symbols licensed for educational and therapeutic use.
4. ASHA Technical Report, Non-Speech Oral Motor Exercises: ASHA technical report states that the existing body of research does not support the use of non-speech oral motor exercises for improving speech sound production in most populations.
5. Howlin P et al., Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2007: A randomized controlled trial found PECS training increased functional communication and in some children promoted vocal speech alongside picture exchange.
6. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (journal), aided language stimulation systematic review, 2014: A systematic review found consistent positive effects of aided language stimulation on symbol comprehension and production across 23 studies.
7. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, shared reading review, 2008: Systematic review supported shared storybook reading as an effective context for vocabulary and grammar intervention targets.
8. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicaid Benefits: Medicaid covers dedicated speech-generating devices for eligible children under age 21 as durable medical equipment.
9. U.S. Department of Education, IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Parts B and C: IDEA Part C covers early intervention for children birth to age 3; Part B covers special education services ages 3 to 21; both include speech-language services at no cost to families.
10. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, SGD vs. app-based AAC review, 2021: A 2021 review found no systematic advantage of dedicated SGDs over high-quality app-based systems for language learning outcomes.
11. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, parent-implemented early language intervention, 2018: Cochrane review found positive effects on language outcomes when parents were trained in responsive interaction techniques.
12. AssistiveWare, Proloquo2Go pricing: Proloquo2Go is priced at $249.99 as a one-time App Store purchase (as of 2024).
13. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), AAC information: AAC includes low-tech symbol boards and high-tech speech-generating devices; it supports rather than suppresses spoken language development.