Supportive
Children learn best when AAC supports natural interaction
Feature Example: Copy Cat Mode
Copy Cat Mode models words or actions and invites the child to imitate them. This mirrors what research calls aided modeling, guided practice, and naturalistic interaction, the strategies consistently shown to help children communicate more.
Research that supports this principle
AAC + Naturalistic Interaction Improves Language Outcomes
Pope, Light, & Laubscher (2024). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. PubMed
This systematic review examined 29 studies involving over 500 participants to understand whether children with autism and minimal speech do better when AAC is combined with naturalistic, child-led teaching methods. The researchers found that children showed stronger expressive language when AAC was embedded within naturalistic routines like play, meals, and conversations. Children also generalized their skills better to new settings and conversation partners. The key finding: AAC did not replace natural interaction but enhanced it by giving children a reliable way to participate.
Communication Partner Training Improves AAC Use
Kent-Walsh, Murza, Malani, & Binger (2015). Augmentative and Alternative Communication. PubMed
This meta-analysis combined results from 17 high-quality studies to measure how much children's communication improves when adults around them receive training on how to support AAC use. The most effective strategies were aided modeling (showing how to use AAC while speaking), expectant pauses (waiting for the child to respond), and open-ended questions. Children communicated more, used longer utterances, and initiated more conversations when adults were trained. Effects were strongest for children under 12 years old.
AAC Modeling Works Across Ages and Diagnoses
Quinn, Kaiser, & Bhattarai (2023). Current Developmental Disorders Reports. Springer
This scoping review analyzed 29 studies involving 237 participants who were emergent communicators. The researchers examined whether aided AAC modeling (when communication partners point to symbols while speaking) helps children learn to communicate, regardless of their specific diagnosis or the AAC system used. The majority of studies reported positive outcomes, with children showing growth in vocabulary, spontaneous communication, and multi-symbol utterances across different ages, diagnoses, and types of AAC systems.
Simple
Reducing cognitive load helps children focus on expressing ideas
Feature Example: Suggestion Layout Redesign
Early versions of ChirpBot displayed word suggestions in scattered positions with multiple colors, creating visual overload. Based on clinician feedback and cognitive load research, we redesigned suggestions so words are consistently ordered by category at the top of the screen. Users can adjust a divider to receive more or fewer word suggestions, and all suggestions now share one consistent color for a calmer, cleaner experience.
Before: Scattered Layout
After: Predictable Pattern
Research that supports this principle
Cognitive Load Theory
Sweller (1988). Cognitive Science. Learning Theories
Cognitive Load Theory, developed by educational psychologist John Sweller, explains why our brains can only process a limited amount of new information at once. When learning materials are too complex, cluttered, or unpredictable, they overwhelm working memory and learning stops. The theory identifies three types of cognitive load: intrinsic (the difficulty built into the task itself), extraneous (unnecessary complexity added by poor design), and germane (the mental effort that actually builds knowledge). Good design minimizes extraneous load so learners can focus on what matters.
Practical Strategies for Reducing Cognitive Load
Structural Learning (2023). Cognitive Load Theory: A Teacher's Guide. View Article
This teacher-focused guide translates decades of cognitive load research into practical strategies. Key recommendations include reducing visual clutter, chunking information into smaller pieces, minimizing the number of steps required to complete a task, creating predictable routines and consistent layouts, and avoiding splitting attention between multiple sources of information. When materials are simple and predictable, children learn faster and remember more.
Interface Design and Learning
The Decision Lab (2023). Cognitive Load Theory. View Article
This behavioral science resource explains how cognitive load theory applies to real-world design. When interfaces reduce extraneous load, users learn more efficiently, make fewer errors, and retain information longer. Cluttered interfaces increase errors and slow learning, while predictable layouts allow users to build automatic responses. The article emphasizes that simplicity is not just about aesthetics. The best tools feel effortless because they match how the brain works.
Fun
Play activates the brain's learning systems
Feature Example: Playful Interactions and Positive Reinforcement
ChirpBot's animations, feedback, and playful tone are not decoration. They are grounded in neuroscience showing that joy increases attention, memory, and motivation. When communication feels good, children want to do more of it.
Research that supports this principle
Neuroscience of Play
Liu et al. (2017). Neuroscience and Learning Through Play: A Review of the Evidence. LEGO Foundation. ResearchGate
This comprehensive review synthesized neuroscience research on how play affects brain development and learning. The researchers found that play activates neural networks responsible for executive function, memory, and emotional regulation. Dopamine release during play enhances attention, motivation, and learning. Play strengthens connections between brain regions involved in problem-solving and creativity. The emotional component of play is not separate from learning. It is essential to it.
Play-Based Learning Improves Outcomes
Whitebread et al. (2017). Learning Through Play: A Review of the Evidence. UNICEF/LEGO Foundation. PDF
This global evidence review examined research on play-based learning from early childhood through adolescence. Play-based approaches produce equal or better academic outcomes compared to direct instruction. Children in play-based programs show stronger social-emotional skills and self-regulation. Guided play, where adults support and extend children's exploration, is especially effective. The benefits of early play-based learning persist into later schooling.
Play Is Essential for Brain Development
National Institute for Play. Summary of Key Findings. Summary
The National Institute for Play has compiled decades of research demonstrating that play is not optional for healthy development. It is a biological necessity. Over 70% of cortical brain development occurs by age three, shaped significantly by play experiences. Play builds emotional intelligence and self-regulation through safe exploration. Physical and social play wire neural circuits for attention, flexibility, and problem-solving. As the researchers state, humans are "built to play, and built through play."
AI + AAC
AI should support the child's voice — not replace it
Feature Example: Optional, Transparent Suggestions
ChirpBot's AI suggestions are always optional and always user-controlled. The child remains the author of every message. AI helps reduce effort and increase expression, while ensuring the child's voice stays at the center of every interaction.
Research that supports this principle
How AI Helps or Hinders AAC Users
Valencia et al. (2023). ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI). Google Research
This peer-reviewed study explored how large language models can help or hinder people who use AAC. The researchers interviewed AAC users and tested AI-generated phrase suggestions to understand how AI changes the communication process. They found that AI suggestions can reduce effort and increase speed, and can help users express more complex ideas than they could type manually. However, AI can also shift control away from the user if suggestions feel too automated or do not match the user's intent. Users preferred AI that supported their voice rather than replacing it, and they valued transparency and control over suggestions.
Our Commitment
ChirpBot is grounded in universal communication principles and shaped by the diverse needs of families around the world. We refine the app through:
- Real-world use in homes and classrooms
- Feedback from families, educators, and clinicians
- Ongoing observation of how children communicate
- Iterative design informed by research
Our goal is simple: help every child communicate more easily, more joyfully, and in ways that fit their world.
Ready to See Research in Action?
ChirpBot brings these principles to life in an app designed for real families and classrooms.