How We Create a Customized Proloquo Setup for Giulietta

Creating an effective communication board begins with truly knowing the person it is designed for. Understanding what they like and dislike, what motivates them, and how they engage with the world allows communication supports to feel meaningful rather than generic. When tools are built around a person’s interests and preferences, they are more likely to be used consistently, support authentic expression, and foster confidence in communication.

Gathering Information and Setting Goals

We started by learning about where Giulietta was in her communication journey, what she could already express and what motivates her. We also paid close attention to her interests in music, food, books, and learning, since those are the moments when she’s most engaged and excited to communicate. We then identified goals that made sense for her: building more independence, expanding her vocabulary around the things she loves, and developing confidence using her AAC across all settings.

Choosing Core and Personal Vocabulary

We focused on core words that Giulietta could use anywhere, for example, go, want, more, like, help, and all done. We also added personalized “fringe” words, which is vocabulary that’s more specific to Giulietta’s life, like the names of her favourite people, foods, books, and activities. Keeping both core and fringe words visible and easy to access helped Giulietta connect the words she saw on her screen with the ones she heard throughout her day.

Organizing the Layout

We customized Giulietta’s Proloquo pages to make navigation as simple as possible. We organized the layout to follow a left-to-right flow of communication, starting with verbs and core action words, followed by nouns, and other parts of speech that help her build complete sentences. Over time, this consistency has helped Giulietta move more confidently between pages and folders on her iPad.

Incorporating Reading and Early Literacy

Giulietta loves letters and words, so we built that into her everyday learning. We added sight words and paired symbols with written text to help her recognize them visually. We created practice buttons on the iPad, made laminated versions for hands on practice, and incorporated iPad games to make learning interactive and engaging. We also included simple alphabet activities during the day so she could start connecting letters, sounds, and meaning.

Making It Consistent and Accessible

By maintaining a consistent, more complex layout, we avoided the need for her to relearn button locations, which can be more challenging in the long run. This approach also made modelling language and sentence structure easier and more effective for Giulietta to observe. We also made that her iPad was accessible for her at all times, ensuring she can communicate confidently and independently wherever she is.

Modelling and Daily Use

We make a strong commitment to modelling the use of Giulietta’s AAC device throughout the day. We would use her device as we communicated with her. We also created specific activities to encourage back-and-forth communication: for example, the support worker uses a separate iPad to model sentences while another iPad is used to talk about shared topics, like things we “like” or our daily experiences.

Monitoring

We didn’t set up her iPad once and leave it, we continuously adjust and refine as a team. We notice what might need to be moved or added. Sometimes that means editing a page; other times, it means expanding her vocabulary as she’s ready for more. By regularly reviewing and updating the system together, we ensure it continues to reflect her evolving communication needs and supports what works best for her.

Using It in Different Settings

We encourage Giulietta to use her AAC not just at home, but also in the community. Whether it’s finding food at Loblaws, visiting the library, navigating the mall, participating in her social program, helping with meal preparation, or communicating where we are going and what she needs to do, we make sure her AAC feels like her voice everywhere she goes. The more natural it becomes in these different settings, the more confident she gets.

Building Ownership and Confidence

We make sure to celebrate every moment of independence, whether it’s learning a new word, using a word in a different activity, communicating with peers, or navigating her device on her own.

This process has been ongoing and constantly evolving. What we’ve learned is that creating a customized AAC setup isn’t about finding the “right” way, it’s about finding your way. We hope sharing our experience helps others find strategies that are helpful!