A TouchChat Miracle - Hide Mode (version 1.4.0)

The folks at Saltillo have just taken their gold medal AAC app for iPad to a new level - TouchChat has gone platinum with this newest update (version 1.4.0, August 21, 2013)! Simplifying vocabularies while preserving locations for your learner just became a WHOLE lot more easy with the new feature of "Hide Mode." 

Taking a tip from Proloquo2Go (and before them the Words For Life App and before them Unity from PRC), my favorite, easiest to program, most flexible and...I could go on and on...app TouchChat HD with WordPower from Saltillo has now added "Hide Mode" which allows you to: 1) open Hide Mode, and then 2) tap-tap-tap-tap your way toward a sparse "today" vocabulary for a learner who is a beginner while retaining button location for the "tomorrow" vocabulary that will allow for phrase construction, grammar, etc. etc. With this new feature you are now able to implement page sets that preserve button location and capitalize on motor learning (rather than symbol recognition) from day one. If any of you have experience with the now obsolete "Visible" function for each button in TouchChat, you will be extremely pleased (like I am) with this MASSIVE time-saver!

A slightly customized 42-location home page BEFORE

In Hide Mode - tap, tap, tap, tap...

After Hiding

How to get started with Hiding:
First: Update your TouchChat HD app to version 1.4.0 in the App store.
Next: Open your "tomorrow" vocabulary (where your learner may end up with their use of a picture and text vocabulary)
Then: Edit a page. Choose Hide Mode. Tap, tap, tap...
Last: Put your sparse vocab into play. Model language use. Teach location with this limited set. Un-hide as more vocabulary is necessary for functional communicative competence!

It's all VERY exciting. Thank you Saltillo!