Caregiver Documentation
Welcome to the complete SpeakSimple guide. This documentation covers everything from first-time setup to advanced customisation — so you can configure the perfect communication environment for your loved one.
What SpeakSimple Does
SpeakSimple is a Progressive Web App (PWA) that runs entirely in the browser on any device — iOS, Android, Mac, or PC — with no download required. It combines two core tools:
AAC Talker Grid
Colour-coded, emoji-supported communication cards that speak aloud when tapped using the device's built-in speech engine.
Visual Daily Scheduler
A live Now & Next board and full daily timeline that syncs to all paired devices in real time via the cloud.
Caregiver Dashboard
A secure PIN-protected control panel to add profiles, edit cards, manage paired screens, and publish updates.
Real-time Sync
All changes you make on the caregiver terminal are instantly pushed to all paired recipient tablets via Firestore.
What You'll Need
- A smartphone or computer for the Caregiver Terminal (your device for managing everything)
- A tablet or second device for the Recipient Screen (the device the communication user interacts with)
- A Google account to sign in and activate your license
- An internet connection for initial setup and sync (offline use is supported after first load)
Add to Home Screen
Installing SpeakSimple as a PWA pins it to your home screen like a native app — with offline access, full-screen display, and no App Store required.
iOS (iPhone & iPad) — Safari
Open Safari and go to speaksimple.app
SpeakSimple must be opened in Safari on iOS — Chrome and other browsers do not support PWA installation on Apple devices.
Tap the Share icon
At the bottom of Safari, tap the Share button (the square with an arrow pointing upward).
Scroll down and tap "Add to Home Screen"
In the share sheet that appears, scroll down until you see Add to Home Screen and tap it.
Confirm the name and tap "Add"
You can rename the app if you like (e.g. SpeakSimple). Tap Add in the top-right to confirm.
Launch from the Home Screen
The SpeakSimple icon will now appear on your home screen. Open it from there for the full-screen experience.
Android — Chrome
Open Chrome and go to speaksimple.app
Android supports PWA installation through Chrome, Edge, and most Chromium-based browsers.
Tap the three-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right
This opens Chrome's browser menu.
Tap "Add to Home Screen" or "Install App"
On newer Android/Chrome versions you may see a banner at the bottom of the screen — tap Install there instead.
Tap "Install" to confirm
SpeakSimple is now installed on your device home screen and can be opened like any other app.
Creating Your Account
Your caregiver account links your license, profiles, and sync data across all devices. It takes under two minutes to set up.
Open SpeakSimple
Go to speaksimple.app or open the installed app from your home screen.
Tap "Create Caregiver Account"
On the welcome screen, select the caregiver registration option. This sets up your account as the admin terminal.
Sign in with Google
SpeakSimple uses Google Sign-In for security. Tap Continue with Google and select your Google account.
Activate your license
If you haven't purchased a license, you'll be taken to the pricing screen. Your one-time £0.99 license is processed securely via Stripe. Once confirmed, your account is fully activated.
Set your Caregiver PIN
You'll be prompted to create a 6-digit PIN. This protects the caregiver dashboard from being accidentally accessed by the recipient. Choose something memorable but not obvious.
Caregiver Terminal
The caregiver terminal is your control hub. You can use any device — phone, tablet, or laptop — to manage profiles, edit grids, and publish schedule updates.
Accessing the Caregiver Dashboard
The caregiver dashboard is hidden from the standard view to prevent the recipient from accessing it accidentally. To open it:
- Open the SpeakSimple app and sign in with your Google account.
- The caregiver dashboard loads automatically after sign-in verification.
- On shared/recipient devices, tap the lock icon or enter your 6-digit PIN to reveal the caregiver options.
What You Can Do Here
Manage Profiles
Create and switch between multiple recipient profiles — useful for siblings or different communication needs.
Edit AAC Cards
Add, remove, reorder, and rename communication cards. Assign custom images or emojis to each card.
Edit Schedule
Add, modify, and remove daily schedule events with custom times, titles, colours, and icons.
Manage Devices
See all paired recipient devices, revoke access to specific devices, and generate new pairing codes.
Pairing Recipient Devices
Recipient devices are the tablets or screens that the person using AAC will interact with. You can pair up to 5 devices on a single license.
How to Pair a Device
Open SpeakSimple on the recipient's device
Go to speaksimple.app on the tablet or device you want to pair. Do not sign in — instead, tap "Pair This Device" on the welcome screen.
Note the 6-digit Pairing Code shown on screen
A unique code is generated and displayed on the recipient device. This code expires after 10 minutes.
On your Caregiver Terminal, open the dashboard
Sign in and navigate to Device Management in the caregiver dashboard.
Tap "Pair New Device" and enter the code
Enter the 6-digit code from the recipient device. Select the profile this device should display, then confirm pairing.
The recipient device confirms and loads the profile
The paired screen will instantly load the AAC grid and schedule assigned to that profile. It is now ready to use.
Removing a Device
To unpair a device, go to Device Management in the caregiver dashboard, find the device, and tap Remove Device. The recipient screen will automatically return to the pairing/welcome screen.
Caregiver PIN & Security
The 6-digit PIN is your primary security barrier, keeping the recipient safely within the communication interface while allowing caregivers quick access to settings.
Setting Your PIN
You are prompted to create your PIN during account setup. To change it later:
- Open the caregiver dashboard and tap Settings.
- Tap Security & PIN.
- Enter your current PIN to verify, then enter and confirm your new 6-digit PIN.
Resetting a Forgotten PIN
On the PIN entry screen, tap "Forgot PIN? Reset Passcode"
This appears beneath the PIN pad on any locked screen or settings entry point. You will be logged out immediately.
Log back in and set a new PIN
Sign in again with your Google account. You will be prompted to set a new 6-digit PIN before accessing the caregiver dashboard.
AAC Grid Overview
The AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) grid is the primary screen recipients use to communicate. Cards are arranged in a colour-coded grid and each one speaks aloud when tapped.
How the Grid Works
The default grid shows 6 cards at a time in a 3×2 layout. Each card contains:
- A large visual — either an emoji, custom uploaded photo, or built-in PECS-style icon
- A text label beneath the image
- A background colour based on its word category (Fitzgerald Key)
When a recipient taps a card, the word or phrase is added to the Speech Bar at the top of the screen. Multiple cards can be tapped to build a sentence, and the whole sentence is spoken aloud when the user taps Speak.
The Speech Bar
- Speak — Speaks the accumulated words aloud
- Clear Word — Removes the last word added
- Clear All — Clears the entire sentence
Editing Cards
Caregivers can fully customise the AAC grid — adding new words, changing images, reordering cards, and removing ones that aren't needed.
Adding a New Card
Open the Caregiver Dashboard
Sign in and enter your PIN to access the full dashboard.
Tap the "+" button on the AAC grid
In the grid editor, an empty card slot or an add button will appear at the end of the current cards.
Fill in the card details
Enter a label (the word to be spoken), choose an image (emoji, upload, or built-in icon), and select a category colour.
Tap Save and then Publish
Saved changes are stored locally. Tap Publish to push them to all paired recipient devices instantly.
Removing a Card
In the grid editor, long-press or tap the edit icon on any card, then select Delete Card. Confirm the deletion and tap Publish to sync the change.
Reordering Cards
In Edit Mode, press and hold any card to enter drag mode. Drag it to the desired position and release. Tap Publish when done.
Fitzgerald Colour Key
SpeakSimple uses the Fitzgerald Colour Key — a widely adopted colour-coding system for AAC that helps users identify word categories at a glance.
| Colour | Category | Examples |
|---|---|---|
Yellow |
Nouns / People / Places | Mum, School, Water, Toilet |
Green |
Verbs / Actions | Eat, Go, Play, Want, Stop |
Blue |
Adjectives / Feelings | Happy, Sad, Big, Hot, Tired |
Grey |
Social / Quick Phrases | Hello, Thank you, Help, Yes, No |
Red |
Prepositions / Connecting Words | In, On, Under, With, And |
Purple |
Adverbs / Pronouns | I, Me, You, He, She, They, Here, There |
Text-to-Speech
SpeakSimple uses the Web Speech API to synthesise speech directly on the device — no internet, no external services, zero latency.
Choosing a Voice
Navigate to the caregiver dashboard → Settings → Voice & Speech. A dropdown lists all available voices installed on the device. Select the voice that sounds most natural and appropriate for the recipient.
Speech Rate & Pitch
In Settings → Voice & Speech, you can adjust the speaking rate (speed) and pitch using simple sliders. Slower rates are recommended for new users or younger recipients.
Schedule Overview
The visual schedule shows the recipient's day in clear, structured blocks — reducing anxiety and helping them understand what is happening and what comes next.
Views Available
- Now & Next — A full-screen view of the current activity and the next one coming up. Ideal for placing prominently on the recipient's screen.
- Daily Timeline — A scrollable vertical list of all events for the current day, with colour-coded time blocks.
- Weekly View — A column-based overview of the entire week.
How Events Work
Each schedule event contains:
- A title (e.g. "Breakfast", "School", "Therapy Session")
- A start and end time
- An optional icon or custom photo
- A colour for easy visual identification
Events are automatically highlighted as the current time falls within their window. The Now & Next view updates in real time throughout the day.
Now & Next View
The Now & Next view is designed to sit permanently on the recipient's screen — giving clear, unambiguous visual anchoring for what is happening right now and what comes afterwards.
How It Works
The view displays two large panels side by side or stacked:
- NOW — The current scheduled activity, shown with its icon, title, and time
- NEXT — The upcoming activity, shown slightly smaller
These panels update automatically in real time as the day progresses. No manual interaction is needed — the schedule engine checks the current system time every minute and advances the view automatically.
Adding Events
Build your recipient's daily schedule by adding time-blocked events from the caregiver dashboard. All changes sync to paired devices immediately after publishing.
Open the Schedule editor
In the caregiver dashboard, tap Schedule in the navigation to open the day/week/month schedule editor.
Tap an empty time slot or the "+" button
On the daily timeline, tap any empty slot to create an event at that time, or use the add button to create a new one from scratch.
Fill in the event details
Enter a title, set start and end times, choose an icon (emoji or photo), and pick a colour for the event block.
Save and Publish
Tap Save to store the event, then Publish to push it live to all paired recipient devices.
Recipient Profiles
Profiles let you maintain separate AAC grids and schedules for different people under the same caregiver license — ideal for siblings, different settings (home vs school), or different communication stages.
Creating a Profile
- Open the caregiver dashboard and tap Profiles.
- Tap Add Profile and enter a name (e.g. "Jamie", "Home", "School Mode").
- Configure the AAC grid and schedule for that profile independently.
- Assign the profile to one or more paired devices.
Switching Profiles on a Device
You can reassign which profile a paired device displays at any time from the caregiver dashboard under Device Management. Select the device and choose a different profile from the dropdown. The change is pushed live instantly.
Uploading Custom Photos
Personalising cards and events with real photos from the recipient's life makes AAC significantly more relatable and effective. SpeakSimple stores all uploaded photos locally for offline access.
Adding a Photo to a Card
Open the card editor
In the grid editor, tap the card you want to update, then tap the image area or Edit Card.
Tap "Upload Photo"
This opens your device's photo picker or camera, depending on the device. Select an image from your camera roll or take a new photo.
Crop and confirm
The image is automatically resized and saved locally. It will display on the card across all synced devices.
Voice & Speech Settings
Fine-tune how SpeakSimple sounds for your recipient with adjustable voices, rate, and pitch — all powered by the device's native speech engine with no internet required.
Available Settings
- Voice — Select from all voices installed on the device. High-quality voices can be downloaded in iOS/Android system settings.
- Rate — Controls speaking speed. Range: 0.5× (slow) to 2× (fast). Default is 1×.
- Pitch — Controls the tone. Range: 0.5 (lower) to 2 (higher). Default is 1.
- Volume — Separate from device volume; controls SpeakSimple's relative output level.
Common Issues
Most issues can be resolved quickly with a cache clear or re-pairing. Here are the most common problems and their fixes.
Recipient screen is showing old content
This is usually a caching issue. On the recipient's device:
- Force-close SpeakSimple completely.
- Re-open it — the app will fetch the latest data from the cloud.
- If the issue persists, go to the device's browser settings and clear the site data for speaksimple.app, then re-open the app.
I've been signed out on my caregiver device
If you sign into the caregiver dashboard on another device, your session on the first device is automatically ended. This is a security feature. Simply sign back in on your preferred device.
I've forgotten my PIN
On the PIN entry screen, tap "Forgot PIN? Reset Passcode". You will be logged out. Sign back in with your Google account and you will be asked to set a new PIN.
A paired device has been lost or replaced
In the caregiver dashboard under Device Management, find the lost device and tap Remove. This frees up the slot. Set up pairing on the replacement device as normal.
Speech isn't working
- Check the device volume is turned up.
- Ensure the device is not in silent/vibrate mode.
- On iOS, make sure the Ring/Silent switch on the side of the device is set to ring mode.
- In the caregiver dashboard → Settings → Voice & Speech, try selecting a different voice from the dropdown.