How a Mother Used ChatGPT and Claude to Build a Custom AAC System for Her Nonverbal Son

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A mother of a nonverbal autistic child has shared how she built a personalized augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) system using AI tools ChatGPT and Claude, without any programming background. Frustrated by the high cost and rigidity of commercial AAC apps, she began experimenting with AI-generated pictograms and predictive phrases tailored to her son's daily routines. She uses ChatGPT's image generation capabilities to create simple, custom pictograms, while Claude handles context-aware predictive phrase suggestions based on the child's schedule and preferences. The approach proved effective when her son successfully used an AI-generated pictogram to communicate a need for the first time without a meltdown. She has since published a step-by-step guide for other caregivers to replicate the system using free or low-cost AI tools.

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