Tutorials
Speech Assistant whiteboard: draw it when it's not on the AAC board
The Speech Assistant Team
October 2026 · 2 min read
When a word isn't on your board, write or draw it. Speech Assistant's free Draw tab is a whiteboard, and Show turns it round to face the person you're talking to.
When does it help?
- Missing words: names, places, new things.
- Precision: "I'm in pain", and where.
- Pictures: a map, an arrow or a shape says it faster.
- Wrong guesses: writing it down ends the guessing.
How do I use it?
- Tap Draw in the tab bar.
- Pick one of eight colours.
- Write or draw with your finger. Undo, the eraser and the bin fix mistakes.
- Tap Show. The drawing turns to face the other person.
- Tap Done to turn it back.
Your drawing stays while you use the rest of the app.
Tips
- Model it: use the whiteboard yourself when you're stuck.
- Rough is fine: a circle and an arrow is enough.
- Watch for repeats: a word you keep drawing belongs on the board. With Premium, Save as Tile adds it.
- Can spell? The Keyboard tab speaks what you type instead.
Questions people ask
Is the whiteboard free?
Yes. Draw is free. Saving a drawing as a new tile is part of Premium.
What does Show do?
It turns the drawing 180° so the person opposite can read it. Tap Done to turn it back.
Can I use it with head tracking?
No. Drawing needs touch, so the Draw tab is hidden while head tracking is on.