Special education teachers, speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists rarely have spare prep time, yet their students often need the most individualized materials in the building. This list covers the digital side of that work: interactive task cards, social skills lessons, symbol makers for visual supports, AAC apps, visual schedule apps, and one OT-run shop for the sensory and fine motor supplies a screen can't replace.
Every tool here is aimed at, or regularly used by, PreK-6 teams supporting students with IEPs, communication needs or regulation goals. Some are built for the classroom, some for therapy rooms, and a few are designed mainly for families, which makes them useful when you want school and home to use the same routines and symbols.
We checked each tool's official website on October 29, 2026 and only describe features and pricing we could confirm there. Several of these products sell through app stores or quote schools directly, so where a price wasn't shown, we say so rather than guess. If you want printable visual supports instead of apps, see our separate list of special education printables.
Key takeaways
- Best for self-paced digital task cards in speech and SPED: Boom Learning (Boom Cards).
- Best ready-made social skills curriculum with video modeling: Everyday Speech (30-day free trial).
- Best for building symbol-based boards, schedules and social narratives: Smarty Symbols (14-day free trial).
- Two AAC options with free trials: CoughDrop (2 months) and Avaz AAC (2 weeks).
- Visual schedule apps: Choiceworks is a one-time purchase; Goally is a dedicated kids tablet aimed at families.
Quick comparison
| # | Tool | Best for | Grades / audience | Pricing | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | interactive digital task cards for practice | PreK and up; teachers and therapists | Paid | unverified | |
| 2 | no-prep social skills sessions | PreK-12; SLPs, SPED teachers, counselors | Paid | Trial only | |
| 3 | building visual supports with inclusive symbols | Educators, SLPs, OTs, BCBAs, families | Paid | Trial only | |
| 4 | schedules, waiting and feelings boards | Young children, families, schools | Paid | No | |
| 5 | affordable, team-based AAC | AAC users, families, SLPs, schools | Paid | Trial only | |
| 6 | picture and keyboard AAC in many languages | Children with communication needs, SLPs, schools | Paid | Trial only | |
| 7 | home-school routine consistency | Children ages 2-8, families | Paid | No | |
| 8 | sensory and fine motor supplies | Therapists, teachers, parents | Paid | No |
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Request a listingThe 8 best picks
Boom Learning (Boom Cards)
Best for: interactive digital task cards for practice
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- unverified
- Grades / audience
- PreK and up; teachers and therapists
Boom Cards are interactive digital activities that teachers and therapists assign to students. A speech-language pathologist might assign an articulation deck to a small group, while a resource room teacher uses a counting deck as an independent center on tablets. Teachers can use decks from the Boom Store as-is or customize them, and progress is tracked automatically.
What we like
- Large Boom Store of ready-to-use decks, with a 96,000+ resource school library through Boom Passport
- Automatic progress tracking with real-time insight into student work
- Apps for Apple, Google Play and Amazon devices
- Boom Training Academy for learning to create and manage decks
Watch out for
- Individual plan names and limits were not readable as text on the official pricing page.
- Students need a device for every session.
Pricing: Individual subscriptions are sold to teachers, and schools and districts can build a quote for Boom Passport or Boom Access+.
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- Trial only
- Grades / audience
- PreK-12; SLPs, SPED teachers, counselors
Everyday Speech is a social skills and behavior program built around short sessions that combine video modeling, games and worksheets. A teacher or SLP picks a skill such as friendship or self-regulation, plays the video, and follows the step-by-step guidance for the activity. It works for whole-class lessons as well as small groups.
What we like
- Video modeling lessons paired with games and worksheets
- No-prep sessions with step-by-step guidance for the adult leading them
- Sessions organized by grade band (Pre-K and K, Elementary, Middle and High) and skill area
- Free resources including an IEP goal bank and sample sessions
Watch out for
- The subscription renews annually, and reactivated accounts are not eligible for another free trial.
- Video lessons need a screen and audio in the room.
Pricing: Annual subscription after a 30-day free trial; the official site did not list dollar amounts.
Smarty Symbols
Best for: building visual supports with inclusive symbols
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- Trial only
- Grades / audience
- Educators, SLPs, OTs, BCBAs, families
Smarty Symbols is a symbol library and creation studio for making communication boards, visual schedules, social narratives and language materials. Teachers search for a symbol by word, category or speech sound, drop it into a template or blank grid, and export a PDF to print or laminate. Its images are designed to be culturally representative.
What we like
- 60,000+ symbol images in color and outline versions
- Studio with templates, structured grids and drag-and-drop editing
- PDF export for printing boards, schedules and social narratives
- Commercial licenses, including one for Teachers Pay Teachers sellers
Watch out for
- There is no ongoing free tier after the 14-day trial.
- TPT sellers need the marketplace license on top of a regular plan.
Pricing: Individual plans were listed at $89 per year or $10.99 per month, with a 14-day free trial and school quotes.
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- No
- Grades / audience
- Young children, families, schools
Choiceworks is a picture-based app that helps children follow daily routines, wait, make choices and manage big feelings. A teacher can build a picture schedule for arrival or a calming board with a breathing practice, then keep it on a classroom tablet. A companion app, Choiceworks Calendar, teaches days, weeks and months.
What we like
- Boards for routines, waiting, choices and feelings
- Built-in Alphabreaths breathing board for regulation
- Runs on iPad, iPhone, Mac, Android and Chromebooks
- No student accounts, ads or trackers; boards stay on the device or the school's own managed account
Watch out for
- Prices were not listed on the official website.
- Clinicians must email the company for an evaluation code rather than starting a free trial.
Pricing: A one-time purchase per app, never a subscription, with district volume purchasing through Apple School Manager and managed Google Play.
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- Trial only
- Grades / audience
- AAC users, families, SLPs, schools
CoughDrop is a cloud-based AAC app for people with complex communication needs. A student's communicator account runs on several devices, and teachers, aides and family members can join as supporters to edit boards and model language. That makes it practical when a whole IEP team needs to stay on the same vocabulary.
What we like
- One communicator account works across multiple devices
- Reports, usage tracking and alerts for the team
- Free supporter accounts for modeling and editing
- Optional symbol add-ons such as SymbolStix and LessonPix
Watch out for
- Premium symbol sets cost extra.
- The main site needs JavaScript to show its content.
Pricing: The official pricing page listed $6 per month or $200 lifetime per communicator after a 2-month free trial, plus organization purchasing by PO.
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- Trial only
- Grades / audience
- Children with communication needs, SLPs, schools
Avaz AAC is a picture-based communication app with a category-based vocabulary designed to support motor planning. Students can switch between picture and keyboard modes, save favorite phrases, and keep core words in a frozen row. Schools can request a demo and use the Avaz Certified Educator training.
What we like
- Category-based vocabulary designed for motor planning
- Easy switching between picture mode and keyboard with predictive text
- Frozen Row for instant access to core words
- Versions in 15+ languages across iOS and Android
Watch out for
- iOS users were told to update to version 8.0.5 to keep access to iCloud backups.
- The upfront cost is higher than subscription-style AAC apps.
Pricing: Sold per regional version through the app stores (the English version was listed at $299.99), with a free 2-week trial.
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- No
- Grades / audience
- Children ages 2-8, families
Goally is a closed kids tablet with built-in apps for visual schedules, rewards, emotional regulation and early skills. Families set up photo-based routines and chore charts, and a parent app manages them. Teachers are most likely to recommend it to families who want home routines that match classroom visual supports.
What we like
- CoPilot app for chore charts, checklists and schedules with points and rewards
- Photo-based routine steps using your own pictures
- Mood Tuner app for identifying and managing feelings
- No ads, web browser or app store on the tablet
Watch out for
- The bundle includes the apps free for six months, so check the cost of app access after that.
- There is no school-specific product listed on the main site.
Pricing: The Daily Skills System was listed at $295, including apps for the first six months and a 90-day guarantee.
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free plan
- No
- Grades / audience
- Therapists, teachers, parents
The Therapy Shoppe is a family company owned and run by an occupational therapist, selling supplies for sensory, fine motor and handwriting needs. It is the place to order the physical tools an OT plan calls for, such as pencil grips, slant boards, weighted lap pads or wiggle seats. Products are chosen by pediatric occupational therapists.
What we like
- Sensory products such as weighted blankets, vests and therapy brushes
- Fine motor and handwriting tools, including pencil grips, scissor tools and slant boards
- Fidgets, wiggle seats and oral motor tools
- Quick Order form, catalog request and phone ordering on weekdays
Watch out for
- The homepage did not mention school purchase orders.
- No shipping rates or delivery times were listed on the homepage.
Pricing: Retail shop with per-item pricing.
How we chose
We started from tools PreK–6 teachers actually use and checked every one against its official website, pricing page and feature pages on October 29, 2026. We kept tools that fit elementary classrooms, noted whether a free plan exists, and wrote down honest limitations next to the strengths. Nobody paid to be included, and we don't use affiliate links on this page.
- Fit for PreK–6 classrooms, special education or homeschool
- Clear information on the official site about what the tool does and who it is for
- Free plan or free-for-teachers option noted where one exists
- Still active and maintained, with rebrands noted
How to choose the right tool
Start with the goal on the IEP, not the app. Communication goals point toward AAC tools like CoughDrop or Avaz, regulation and transition goals toward Choiceworks or Goally, and skill practice toward Boom Cards or Everyday Speech.
Look at who needs access. CoughDrop's free supporter accounts help when aides, therapists and families all model on the same system, while Choiceworks keeps everything on the device with no accounts at all.
Check how you will pay. Choiceworks and Avaz are one-time purchases, Everyday Speech and Smarty Symbols are subscriptions, and Boom offers both individual and school plans, so match the model to your budget cycle.
Use free trials during a real unit. A 14-day or 30-day trial goes further if you test it with two or three students during regular sessions rather than exploring it alone.
Ask your district about privacy before you load student names or photos into any app, especially for family-facing devices.
Keep a print backup. Symbol boards and visual schedules should still work when the tablet is charging, so export or print the supports you rely on most.
Best pick by situation
- You run speech groups and want activities students can work through on a tablet: Boom Learning (Boom Cards) — large store of ready-made interactive decks you assign to students
- You teach social skills to a mixed K-5 caseload and have no time to plan sessions: Everyday Speech — no-prep sessions grouped by grade band and skill
- You need a first-then board and a social narrative by tomorrow: Smarty Symbols — templates, a large symbol library and PDF export
- Your team wants to trial AAC with a student before a formal device request: CoughDrop — 2-month free trial and free supporter accounts for the team
- A student struggles with transitions and waiting, and the school uses iPads or Chromebooks: Choiceworks (Bee Visual) — schedule, waiting and feelings boards with no student accounts
- You want a family to use the same routines and rewards at home: Goally — visual schedules and rewards on a closed kids tablet with a parent app
- You need pencil grips, slant boards and fidgets for an OT plan: The Therapy Shoppe — OT-owned shop focused on sensory and fine motor supplies
Pair it with printables
For low-tech backups that sit alongside these apps, these Activity Express printables cover morning work, visual schedules, conversation practice and task boxes.
Special Ed Morning Work BinderSpecial education, Preschool, PreK, Kindergarten, early elementary$9.49 · 188 pages
My Day Visual SchedulesPreK, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd grade, special education$3.49 · 38 pages
Conversation Cards with Visual ScriptsKindergarten–8th grade$6.85 · 54 pages
Task Box Task CardsPre-K, Kindergarten, 1st grade, special education$4.99 · 56 pagesFrequently asked questions
Which of these tools have a free plan?
None of the eight has a permanent free plan we could verify. Everyday Speech (30 days), Smarty Symbols (14 days), CoughDrop (2 months) and Avaz AAC (2 weeks) offer free trials, and Everyday Speech also posts free sample resources.
Can I sell TPT products made with Smarty Symbols?
Yes, but only with a commercial license. Smarty Symbols lists a separate marketplace license for Teachers Pay Teachers sellers and a free three-day creator trial.
Is Choiceworks a subscription?
No. Bee Visual describes Choiceworks as a one-time purchase, never a subscription, and districts can buy it through Apple School Manager or managed Google Play.
What is the difference between CoughDrop and Avaz AAC?
CoughDrop is a cloud-based system priced per communicator by month or lifetime, with free supporter accounts. Avaz AAC is a one-time purchase per regional version with a category-based vocabulary and versions in many languages.
Do Boom Cards work for speech therapy?
Boom Learning lists speech therapy among its focus areas and says its tools help teachers and therapists, with ready-made decks in the Boom Store that can be customized.
Make a tool for teachers?
Built something teachers love? We keep these guides fresh, so send us a new tool, updated pricing or a featured spot request.
Request a listingDisclosure: no tool on this page paid to be included and we don't earn commissions from these links. Featured placements, if we ever offer them, will be clearly labeled "Sponsored". Details were checked on each provider's official website on October 29, 2026 and can change.