STACS: Standardized Tactile Augmentative Communication Symbols
by American Printing House for the Blind
Price is what the vendor listed when last checked. Confirm it with the vendor before buying.
What it is
Summary
AI-generated from vendor-published content · October 1, 2026
STACS is a set of standardized tactile symbols that a learner can feel with their hands to talk about people, places, events, and ideas. It gives learning partners like teachers, parents, and peers a beginning vocabulary to teach, and they can add more individualized symbols as the learner's needs grow. A digital instruction manual and online videos show partners how to use the symbols as part of daily communication, so it's meant for someone who has no formal way to communicate yet. This is a teaching system, not a one-touch device, so the people around the learner need to put in time to teach the symbols well.
Getting it
Try before you buy
Devices like this are often available to borrow through your state's AT Act program — typically free or low-cost — so you can try it before buying or pursuing funding.
Where to get it
This is the vendor WhatCanHelp tracks for this product — it may also be available from other retailers or a local supplier, and prices vary.
How to fund this
These are common places to ask about paying for equipment like this. Each one decides its own eligibility and what it covers, so start by asking them.
Details
Quick Facts Catalog facts · auto-generated
- Platform
- Age range
- Complexity
- Professional guidance helps
- Price
- $734.81
- Funding
- AT Act lending
- Medicaid waiver
- Out of pocket
- School district
What setup looks like
- Out of the box
Open the symbol set and look through the pieces so you know what vocabulary is included. - With a guide
- Download the digital instruction manual and watch the included online videos to learn how to introduce the symbols.
- Plan where the symbols will be used each day, such as routines, so the learner meets them in real situations. Expect a few hours to read, watch, and plan.
- With professional help
A teacher of students with visual impairments or a speech-language pathologist can help decide which symbols to start with, how to pace teaching, and when to add individualized symbols. Plan on an initial planning session, then regular check-ins as the learner progresses.
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Sources & fine print
Vendor facts (name, price, platforms, vendor link) sourced from American Printing House for the Blind — view on vendor site (opens in a new tab); last checked November 1, 2026.
Classification & description AI-generated from vendor-published content on October 1, 2026 · confidence: high. Vendor specs may lag; verify before relying on details in a clinical or funding artifact.