What is a Voice Output Communication Aid?

A Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA) is an electrical device that assists people who are unable to use natural speech to express their needs and exchange information with other people during a conversation.

Speech is such an important and vital mode of communication without which many of our day-to-day activities will come to a standstill. Earlier, people with difficulty in communicating through vocal speech had to depend on pictures, symbols or charts to communicate any news or ideas. But now, due to the advancements in technology, these people can seek the help of communication devices that enable vocal communication.

Even the commonly used devices like laptop computers, tablet PCs and other handheld devices can be used to speak out messages by installing them with a speech synthesizer and/or digital speech and special communication software.

In order to ensure that a person receives the proper aid for communication, it is nessecary to know the correct positioning of the aid, as many of the people might also have a physical disability. It is vital to know the long-term requirements of the user, as this will provide help in their training and support. This assessment will also give information about the type of aid that is to be provided to a user, that is, whether the user will require a dynamic or static display.