Scratched, warped, or lost discs mean losing the entire software asset, with no digital cloud backup to restore user settings or custom templates. The Shift From Discs to the Cloud: Boardmaker 7 and Beyond
The era of the Boardmaker CD has largely come to an end. The industry shifted away from physical media for several key reasons:
. Centered on the Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) library, it enables the creation of visual supports like communication boards and schedules for individuals with speech and language disorders. From Disc to Digital: The Evolution of Boardmaker
Many students with cognitive delays rely on routine and visual consistency. If a student has been using the classic PCS symbols for years, the CD ensures the symbols look exactly the same today as they did five years ago. This reduces cognitive load for the student. boardmaker cd
Boardmaker Online: Initial Registration - Modern Pen - CCSD21
The Legacy and Transition of Boardmaker CD: A Complete Guide to AAC Visuals
Instead of merely printing paper boards, teachers can deploy dynamic, touch-screen activities directly onto student tablets or interactive smartboards. Scratched, warped, or lost discs mean losing the
The foundational tool for creating and printing static communication boards, schedules, and worksheets.
Boardmaker V5 and V6 were built for older operating systems like Windows XP, Windows 7, and older Mac OS versions. Modern operating systems (Windows 11 and macOS Sequoia) generally cannot run these 32-bit applications natively.
Includes layouts matching popular AAC hardware devices, dynamic display grids, and classroom visual schedules. Tech Challenges: Running Legacy CDs on Modern Hardware Centered on the Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) library,
The Boardmaker CD-ROM was a desktop software package developed by Mayer-Johnson (now Tobii Dynavox). It allowed users to create, print, and share communication boards using Picture Communication Symbols (PCS). These simple, clear drawings helped individuals with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and speech delays understand their environment and express their needs.
In an era of iPads and cloud-based apps, you might be surprised to learn the CD version is still widely used. Here is why it remains valuable:
Boardmaker is the global standard for Picture Communication Symbols (PCS). For decades, educators, speech-language pathologists (SLPs), and parents relied on the physical Boardmaker CD-ROM to create accessible learning materials.
Producing hundreds of individual 2x2 inch tiles to populate a student’s Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) book.
It is easy to look back at physical discs as outdated, but the Boardmaker CD offered distinct advantages that made it beloved in schools: