Speak For Yourself and Goally’s AAC app have some key differences. Speak For Yourself is great for early communication and offers robust motor planning features. On the other hand, Goally is the most affordable dedicated speech generating device with super easy setup and customization through a separate app. In the table below, we’ll compare features like pricing, vocabulary options, and parent modeling to help you choose the best AAC app for your needs.
Goally |
Speak For Yourself |
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| Core Word Lessons & Practice |
Kids learn core words on Goally's AAC with our included FUN Word Lab Language Learning app - includes video modeling curriculum & gamified interactive practice.
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No word lessons included. Kids have to learn the meaning of words and practice using AAC on their own.
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| Good for Early Communication |
Goally is easy for kids who are just starting out with an AAC talker. It has a simple setup process and an intuitive design that kids love!
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Speak For Yourself is extremely overwhelming for early communicators. The screen is complex and the symbols are often confusing.
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| Affordable Pricing |
Goally is among the most budget-friendly dedicated AAC devices, costing far less than thousands of dollars. You can get the tablet in just 2-3 days or have it covered by insurance.
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Speak For Yourself is $299, with no free trial.
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| Easy to Get Started |
You can set up everything remotely using the Parent App in less than 10 minutes. Optional one-on-one coaching and tutorial videos are available for extra support.
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Out of the box, Speak For Yourself comes with an overwhelming learning process for care givers even before they can help their child or AAC user learn it for themselves.
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| Easy Parent Modeling |
Goally provides prompting features that parents and caregivers can control remotely from their devices. It helps users find words by highlighting each step required to reach the target word.
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Parents can search for a word on the device to model the location and picture of the word
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| Incentives to Practice |
Using Goally's token board and behavior tracker features, parents can reward kids with points for practicing their talker.
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No incentives to learn the Speak For Yourself software are included.
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| Natural Voices and Language Availability |
Goally offers a multitude of natural voices in many accents, all in English, through amazon poly voices. Goally is also text-to-speech technology, which means you can add any word to your vocabulary and Goally will speak it for you. However, Goally only offers about 20 options.
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While Speak For Yourself is offered in English, it is powered by CereProc's speech system that offers changes in pitch, speed, etc. for customization.
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| Customer Support |
Offers one-on-one coaching, expert SLP advice, and live chat support on the Goally website.
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Customer support is offered by phone or email.
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| Motor Planning |
Yes! To help kids progress faster, Goally’s AAC is provided on a dedicated tablet without web browsers, YouTube, or other distractions.
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This app teaches language solely through motor planning. However, while Speak For Yourself does not allow the location of words to change and the size of the screen to shift, the buttons are programmed in a very small size, making the screen overwhelming.
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| Grid Layout |
Goally is fully customizable. You can adjust the grid size to suit your child's needs and change the color theme to make it more enjoyable for kids.
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The size of the buttons and complexity of the screen is a challenge for most users, and it can not be changed.
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| Affordable and Dedicated Device Option |
Goally's dedicated and actually affordable tablets ($149) works great for users who get distracted on other devices. There are no web browsers, youtube, social media, or ads.
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Speak For Yourself does not offer a dedicated device of their own. It is app-only.
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| Keyboard Functionality |
Goally has a type mode that lets users spell out sentences with a keyboard. It also offers word suggestions as you type!
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There is a keyboard functionality built in to Speak For Yourself to allow users to communicate any fringe words not already included.
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| Reminders to Practice |
Goally’s routines help users rememeber to practice. Build a practice schedule or checklist, and even set a reminder to maximize progress.
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No reminder features are included.
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| Image and Symbol Quality |
Goally uses openmoji symbols that kids are familiar with. Not only that, but all of these symbols are open-source, so mom and teacher can put the same symbols on supplemental materials! Users can also upload their own images for perfect customization.
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Speak For Yourself uses 11,000 Smarty symbols, but the symbols are often used in confusing ways, similar to Minspeak symbols that don't actually mean the word they represent.
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| Fun Games to Build Skills |
Goally has games (like a dexterity games, Game Garage, & Word Lab) that helps users build skills, like finger dexterity. This improves AAC use because it encourages users to practice skills that translate directly to AAC. These games can be turned on or off at anytime.
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Speak For Yourself does not have any skill-based games included.
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| Care Team Access |
Add unlimited care team members using the Parent App. Mom, Dad, teachers, therapists, and friends can all join the language journey.
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There is not a lot of functionality for inviting care team members like teachers into the process.
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Proloquo2Go | CoughDrop | TouchChat | Speak For Yourself | Goally | LAMP |
Discover why Goally’s AAC talker app is empowering people to find their voice faster and more effectively than Speak For Yourself.
We know kids can be rough on devices. If your Goally breaks within 90 days, we’ll replace it for free.
