Reviewer: Tom Younkerman
tayounke@infionline.net
DynaVox Technologies
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
Base Price: $ 7,295
www.dynavoxsys.com

I have cerebral palsy and for a good portion of my life I relied on my poor speech, a variety of gestures and my computer to communicate with others. About 10 years ago a speech pathologist recommended that I get an augmentative and alternate communication (AAC) device and following an evaluation of my needs and abilities it was determined that a DynaVox system would best fit my communication needs. Since that time, I have had three AAC  devices and I currently use the DynaVox System 4 (DV4).

The DV4 incorporates Windows technology for many screen and menu options, making device setup and page creation user friendly.  The DV4 comes with 17 pre-programmed communication page sets that are suitable for a variety of users, both beginners and experienced alike. The DV4 has a full array of symbols available, although I use a WordPower overlay as my primary means of operating the device.  WordPower is a core vocabulary software application program available for the DV4 that I use in combination with word prediction to get my message across. The DV4 also has a built in universal remote feature to enable a person to control electronics in their environment; I played around with it and can operate my TV from the DV4.  

The DV4 is easier to program than previous editions because of the Windows orientation; one feature that I particularly find helpful is having the page modifier button always available at the top of the screen. Another new feature is the ability to put programming buttons directly onto keys, further streamlining the customization process. The DV4 can be customized to any user and digital pictures can be easily downloaded, a useful feature for those who rely on photographs for communication.  Transferring data and files has also been made easier with the USB storage device that plugs into one of the ports. This gives the user the ability to download and share pages and edit/create pages on the computer allowing the device to be available to the user at the same time. For entertainment, The DV4 can also play MP3 files; if you like to listen to a lot of music it's wise to buy a second memory card for this purpose since MP3's take up a great deal of space on the memory card.

The DV4 can be accessed through a number of methods; I use my finger to directly select what I want to say, but audio and visual scanning capabilities are available with several selection options. I work at the University of Colorado as a web page designer and I go out often so I have created about 25 pages with my speech pathologist for social activities, food, sports, personal information and more. I ride the bus and have a page to tell the driver the bus stop where I need to be let off.

The DV4 has many nice features that have been added or enhanced from previous models; since it was introduced the company has released a free downloadable upgrade (V 1.06) to deal with some technology related issues that users brought to the company's attention. The system needs some routine program maintenance; it's recommended that the user perform a "soft reset" fairly regularly to keep the device running optimally. Overall I find the DynaVox System 4 to be a good AAC device that has the flexibility I need to meet my communication needs.