Not everything worth communicating is a word.
A doorbell sound to get someone's attention from across the room. A drum roll before announcing something exciting. A buzzer sound during a game. An animal sound during story time. These aren't language in the traditional sense, but they're communication. They create connection, humor, and engagement in a way that typed sentences can't.
SabiKo's Sound Board is a dedicated tool that gives AAC users instant access to 24 built-in sounds and the ability to record their own. It's one tap to play any sound, and it lives right alongside the communication boards so there's no switching between apps.
What's on the Sound Board
The Sound Board comes with 24 pre-loaded sounds organized for quick access. These span categories like attention-getters, reactions, animal sounds, musical cues, and fun effects, covering the kinds of sounds that come up most often in daily life, play, and social interaction.
Each sound is a large, clearly labeled button. Tap once and it plays immediately through the device speaker. There's no delay and no confirmation dialog. This matters because sounds are often time-sensitive. A drum roll only works if it comes before the announcement, not three seconds after.
Why Sounds Matter for AAC Users
Sounds are social currency
Think about how speaking people use sounds in conversation. They whistle to get attention. They make a "ba-dum-tss" after a joke. They clap when someone finishes something. They make explosion sounds while playing with toy cars.
These aren't words, but they serve real communicative functions: getting attention, expressing excitement, participating in games, and being funny. AAC users who only have access to words miss out on an entire layer of social interaction. The Sound Board gives that layer back.
Sounds lower the entry barrier
For some AAC users, especially toddlers and early communicators, the sound board can be an entry point into using the device. Before a child understands that tapping a symbol produces a word that represents an object, they can understand that tapping a button makes a fun sound happen. That's cause and effect. It teaches the fundamental skill that this device responds to my actions, which is the same skill they'll need later for symbol-based communication.
Sounds support play
Play is where children learn. And play is full of sounds. Blocks crash. Cars go vroom. Dinosaurs roar. Water splashes. A child who can produce these sounds during play is participating more fully than one who sits silently. The Sound Board lets AAC users be active players, not passive observers.
Research consistently shows that AAC doesn't delay speech development. In fact, any interaction that encourages a child to vocalize, experiment with sounds, and engage socially can support speech. The Sound Board creates exactly those opportunities.
Sounds build humor and personality
Humor is one of the hardest things to express through AAC. Timing a joke with a text-to-speech voice is nearly impossible. But timing a buzzer sound after someone says something silly? That works. Playing a sad trombone after something goes wrong? That's universally funny.
AAC users who can be funny, surprising, and playful have richer social lives. The Sound Board is one of the simplest ways to give someone a personality that goes beyond functional requesting.
When to Use the Sound Board
During play
This is the most natural context. If a child is building a tower with blocks, they can tap the crash sound when it falls. If they're playing with toy animals, they can make each animal's sound. If they're pretending to cook, they can play the sizzle or pop sound.
Pair sound board play with AAC modeling. While the child plays sounds, model words on the communication board: "The blocks crashed. That was loud. Build it again?"
Getting attention
The attention getter feature (a chime and flash) serves a specific purpose: alerting someone that the AAC user wants to communicate. The Sound Board expands on this. A doorbell sound, a whistle, or a horn can get attention in different ways for different contexts. In a noisy classroom, a horn works better than a chime. At home, a doorbell is more playful.
Games and group activities
Board games, classroom activities, and family game nights all have natural moments for sounds. A buzzer for wrong answers. A ding for correct ones. Applause when someone wins. Drum roll before revealing a score. These sounds turn the AAC user from a participant into an active contributor to the group energy.
Story time and reading
When reading books together, sounds bring the story to life. The dog in the book barks. The door in the story creaks. The car goes honk. Letting the AAC user trigger these sounds during read-alouds gives them an active role in the storytelling.
Social interaction
A well-timed sound can do what words can't. Playing the laughter sound when a sibling tells a joke. Playing applause when a friend shows their drawing. Playing a gasp sound when someone shares exciting news. These are genuine social responses that build connection.
Custom Recordings
The 24 built-in sounds cover common situations, but every person's life has unique sounds that matter to them. That's why the Sound Board also lets you record custom sounds.
Ideas for custom recordings
Family voices. Record family members saying "I love you," "good morning," or inside jokes. A child who can play their mom's voice saying "I love you" has something no text-to-speech engine can replicate.
Pet sounds. Record your actual dog barking or cat purring. The generic dog bark is fine, but your child's specific dog's bark is personal.
Favorite songs. Record a few seconds of a song the child loves. This gives them a way to request that song or share it with someone.
Classroom sounds. Record the school bell, the teacher's attention signal, or the class greeting. These help the child participate in classroom routines.
Comfort sounds. Some children find specific sounds calming. A recording of rain, a fan, or a particular melody can serve as a self-regulation tool they control themselves.
Tips for Using the Sound Board
Let the child explore freely first. Before structuring how the Sound Board gets used, let the child tap every button and hear every sound. This builds familiarity and motivation. They'll naturally gravitate toward their favorites.
Don't restrict "fun" use. If a child wants to play the buzzer sound 15 times in a row, let them. They're learning cause and effect, building motor skills, and enjoying the device. Fun use leads to functional use.
Pair sounds with words. When the child plays an animal sound, model the animal name on the communication board. "That's a dog. The dog says bark." When they play the crash sound, model "it crashed." This bridges sound play and language development.
Use sounds during daily routines. Play the alarm sound when it's time to wake up. Play the bell sound when dinner is ready. Play the applause sound when they finish a task. Routine use builds habit and purpose.
Respect the child's sound preferences. Some children are sensitive to certain sounds. If a child avoids the horn or alarm sounds, don't push those. Sensory preferences matter, especially for autistic children who may process auditory input differently.
Sound Board vs. Custom Audio
SabiKo has two features that involve recorded audio, and they serve different purposes:
| Feature | What it does | Where it lives | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound Board | Plays pre-loaded and custom sounds | Tools menu | Sound effects, music, attention, play |
| Custom Audio | Records your voice onto a specific word or folder button | Communication boards | Personalizing how a specific word sounds when spoken |
Custom Audio replaces the text-to-speech voice for a specific word with your own recording. So instead of the neural voice saying "grandma," the child hears their actual grandmother's voice. That's different from the Sound Board, which is for standalone sounds that aren't tied to specific vocabulary.
Both features are part of SabiKo Pro.
Common Questions
How many custom sounds can I add?
Custom recordings are stored locally on the device. You can add sounds as needed, with the main constraint being your device's available storage.
Do sounds work offline?
Yes. All 24 built-in sounds and all custom recordings are stored on the device. Nothing requires internet access, just like everything else in SabiKo.
Can different profiles have different custom sounds?
SabiKo Pro supports multiple user profiles, each with their own vocabulary, voice, and settings. Check the app for current details on how custom recordings are handled across profiles.
Is the Sound Board appropriate for adults?
Yes. Adults with communication needs use sound boards for attention-getting, social participation, and self-expression. The built-in sounds are neutral enough for any age, and custom recordings can be tailored to any context, whether that's a group home, hospital, or workplace.
Can I organize or reorder the sounds?
The 24 built-in sounds are arranged in a layout designed for quick scanning. This keeps things predictable so the user builds familiarity with their most-used sounds.
How the Sound Board Fits with Other SabiKo Features
- Communication boards handle word-based communication. The Sound Board handles everything else: sound effects, environmental sounds, music, and recorded audio.
- Attention getter plays a specific chime to signal "I want to talk." The Sound Board offers a wider range of attention sounds for different contexts.
- Custom audio personalizes how specific words sound on the communication boards. The Sound Board is for standalone sounds that aren't tied to vocabulary.
- Draw Board provides a visual creative outlet. Together with the Sound Board, the child has both visual and auditory creative tools beyond text-based communication.
Getting Started
- Open SabiKo and navigate to the tools menu
- Tap Sound Board
- Let the child explore the 24 built-in sounds freely
- Record one custom sound together (try a family member's voice or a pet sound)
- Use the Sound Board during play today
Sounds aren't a replacement for words. They're a complement. An AAC user who can say "I want to play" and also play a drum roll before their turn has a richer communication experience than one who can only do the first.
Download SabiKo free and upgrade to Pro to unlock the Sound Board.