Cyrano 2 Communicator

Cyrano2

The Cyrano 2 is a handheld augmentative communication device that has great potential, but lacks an easy interface for younger users to build expressive language. The device ships with a Windows Mobile PC OS and the interface pre-set for basic communication needs and can be quickly used right out of the box. The programming appears to be easy enough, but even as an experienced handheld user, I found navigating around their software cluncky.

The touch-screen keyboard is a nice feature with immediate text to speech, but not useful for developing language learners. The output speech is not very loud (speaker packs available) and the voices available are only adult voices – I caused an outburst of laughter when I demonstrated “I need to use the toliet” in a general education classroom! The biggest drawback is that the unit lacks the ability to build language for emergent learners without a lot of programming. It is a device that can be used by people who need pre-recorded phrases or already have a good understanding of language.

The unit and speaker enhancement systems price out around $1600, which is a low price to pay for a sleek portable AAC and entertainment device. The unit also has WiFi, Bluetooth and GSM capabilities. In addition to these extras, within the Cyrano software, users have access (or access by rewards) to movies and games.

Get more information at www.cyranocommunicator.com