iMean 1.94

iMean transforms the iPad and iPhone into an effective letterboard, featuring large, easy-to-read keys and word suggestions designed to enhance communication. Created to support my autistic son’s ability to articulate his thoughts, this application has proven to be immensely beneficial; since its launch when he was 15, he is now successfully navigating college life. The development of the app was executed by Richie Meade-Miller.

One of the distinctive advantages of iMean is its capacity to facilitate seamless transitions between activities. Users can effortlessly switch from reading or watching videos to engaging with the app, allowing for meaningful discussions on the material being studied before returning to other tasks.

In contrast to icon-based communication systems, iMean is uniquely focused on text. It taps into the nuances of expression and the substantial developmental potential that can arise from leveraging text for abstract thought formulation, particularly for individuals on the autistic spectrum.

The app maintains a log of spelled words and includes prominent YES and NO buttons for quick responses. Its word prediction feature provides up to three suggestions as users type, which can be selected with a single tap. This design not only accelerates communication but also promotes visual scanning and reading skills, as users evaluate the presented options against their intended spelling.

iMean offers four distinct views: a large keyboard arranged alphabetically, a full-screen QWERTY keyboard, a numeric input view for numerical entries, and an editing view that utilizes the standard iPad QWERTY keyboard along with Apple’s editing functions for text transfer between applications such as word processing and email.

Additionally, the app possesses a text-to-speech capability, allowing users to hear their entered text spoken aloud. Feedback and feature requests are encouraged and can be sent to [email protected].