Why We Made TejuTalks
Real stories from real families who needed better communication solutions
Our Lady Bug's Journey
We made TejuTalks for our little 4.5-year-old girl who made progress in every developmental goal except for expressive language. We could see the way she was struggling to communicate. We used traditional iPad-based AAC apps, but due to her motor planning struggles, it was a huge challenge for her to navigate the pages and use it independently. This made us think: why in the world of ChatGPTs, is communication so hard? How do we make AI accessible to our kiddos to make things better? That's the beginning of TejuTalks. We named our product after our Lady Bug. Today, she uses TejuTalks during therapy and group time. Her skills bounce between a proficient user to AAC babbler.
Ear Infection Discovery
With our AI-driven AAC App, a 5-year-old non-verbal child, who had been crying and whining for days without being able to tell us why, was finally able to communicate that she was experiencing pain in her right ear. Parents took her to the doctor, who confirmed that she had an inner ear infection on the right side. We were so relieved that she was finally able to express her discomfort and get the help she needed.
Unlocking Hidden Potential
"We originally built TejuTalks for our 9-year-old. He could communicate his needs, wants, and answer WH-questions in short phrases—but when it came to novel sentences and new questions, he struggled, leaving us unsure of his true comprehension level. Once we introduced TejuTalks, everything changed. The app allowed us to teach him new concepts in real time, and he began demonstrating a level of understanding far beyond what any of us realized. TejuTalks helped unlock the hidden potential we always hoped was there."
From Last Choice to Right Choice
For our 11-year-old, communication was extremely limited. He rarely spoke more than a single word, and when given multiple-choice options, he always picked the last one—whether or not it was correct. This pattern kept him from truly engaging in social groups. Then we introduced TejuTalks—and it became a game changer. When questions were asked through the app, he began selecting the right answers. His engagement in group sessions skyrocketed. Within three weeks, he had learned to make his own choices—and for the first time, he was truly participating and being understood.
Grade-Level Learning Unlocked
Our 12-year-old is non-verbal but understands everything. Unfortunately, because expression was so difficult, he remained in a Special Day Classroom working with 1st grade level material. His iPad-based AAC system allowed only yes/no responses and a few phrases—far too limited to show what he really knew. With TejuTalks, everything changed. We began using grade-level science textbooks, and when questions were asked based on the material read to him, he had no difficulty selecting the correct answers. TejuTalks finally gave him a way to demonstrate his true comprehension—and it opened the door to learning at his actual grade level.
Typing Made Possible
For our 9-year-old, writing was extremely difficult, and typing was a better option. But even typing was frustrating—if he wanted to type the letter 'A,' he would often hit neighboring keys like S, Z, or Q. With our masking keyboard in TejuTalks, typing suddenly became much easier and faster. He still makes mistakes, but now they've been reduced by 50–60%, making communication far more accurate and less stressful.
More stories are coming… Watch this space….