As an alternative to directly selecting each button on the screen, Unity AAC offers single switch and two-switch scanning.
Important:
To use the app scanning, you will need either wired switches in conjunction with a PRC-Saltillo iOS device or an AeroSwitch®.
For other scanning setups, use iOS scanning, which can be found in the iOS Accessibility settings.
Set up One or Two Switches
You can set up one or two wired or wireless switches to work with scanning in the app.
⚠️ Cords and cables are potential entanglement or strangulation hazards. Please consider this prior to placing these items with device users.
Connect or pair each switch.
Wired switch: Plug the switch into switch jack A or switch jack B on the device. If you are using two switches, plug a switch into each jack.
Wireless switch: Turn the switch on and pair it with your device according to the instructions that came with your switch.
To enable scanning, select Menu > Settings, scroll to the Scanning section, and toggle ON Scanning Enabled.
To set up the switch or switches, select Configure Switches. The switch access settings will be displayed.
Select Switch Configuration and choose the number of switches you plan to use.
If you select 1 Switch, Switch 1 will be active and Switch 2 will be grayed out.
If you select 2 Switches, both Switch 1 and Switch 2 will be active.
Note: When “(Left)” or “(Right)” appears in a Switch 1 or Switch 2 setting, it does not affect how you should set up the switch. It only refers to the internal technical configuration of the switch, which you can disregard.
To set up Switch 1, tap Switch 1: …. The prompt “Press any switch” will appear. Press the switch intended to start and stop the scan.
To set up Switch 2, tap Switch 2: …. The prompt “Press any switch” will appear. Press the switch intended to make your choice or activation.
Note: To use the touchscreen as either Switch 1 or Switch 2, tap the touchscreen at the “Press any switch” prompt.
Adjust additional scan settings as necessary.
Unity AAC Scanning Settings
To access the options for customizing a scanning technique, select Menu > Settings and scroll to the Scanning section.
Scanning Enabled
Turns scanning on or off. You must turn scanning on to access the other scanning settings.
Configure Switches
Set up one or two external switches or the touchscreen to work with scanning.
Auto-Scan
You can choose to have scanning activate automatically, or you can choose to either hold the switch or step to each location. To set scanning to activate without holding a switch, turn Auto-Scan on. When Auto-Scan is turned off, a switch activation is required to move the scan through each button, one at a time.
Button Hold Scan
This setting is only available when Auto-Scan is turned off.
When Button Hold Scan is turned on, you can press and hold on a switch to move through the selected scan pattern. If you are using one switch, a selection is made when the switch is released. If you are using two switches, the first switch moves through the scan pattern and the second switch selects the target button.
Auto Restart
When Auto-Scan and Auto Restart are both turned on, a scan cycle restarts automatically after an activation.
Auditory Scan
Auditory Scan enables audio feedback during scanning. To set auditory prompts, turn Auditory Scan on. Activate your switch to hear the prompt. To retrieve a message, activate the switch again after you hear the prompt.
Prompt Voice
Allows you to choose the prompt voice. When choosing a voice to use for auditory prompts, it can be helpful to choose a different voice than the one the system uses for speaking messages. To change the voice, select Prompt Voice, and select the voice you want.
To adjust the rate at which the prompt voice speaks, see “Prompt Voice Rate” below. To adjust the pitch of the prompt voice, see “Prompt Voice Pitch below”.
Prompt Voice Rate
Provides a slider that allows you to adjust the Prompt Voice rate. To adjust the rate, scroll to the Prompt Voice Rate slider. Move the slider to the right for a higher voice rate or to the left to lower the rate until the prompt voice speaks at the rate you want.
Prompt Voice Pitch
Sets the pitch of the prompt voice. To set the pitch, select Prompt Voice Pitch and choose the pitch you want. Available settings are Lowest, Lower, Low, Normal, High, Higher, and Highest.
Pause Between Words (Auditory scan)
When Auditory Scan is turned on, Pause Between Words sets the amount of time between words in auditory prompts. Available settings are No Pause, 1 Second, 2 Seconds, and 3 Seconds.
Scan Speech Display Bar
When Scan Speech Display Bar is turned on, a scan will include the Speech Display Bar. When this setting is turned off, a scan will skip the Speech Display Bar.
Skip Empty Cells
When Skip Empty Cells is turned on, a scan will skip an area that does not have a button or an area that has a button that only includes a speech message action but no text. When the setting is turned off, a scan will include empty button areas.
Scanning Type
Sets the scanning pattern to Sequential or Row/Column. To select the scanning pattern, select Scanning Type and then select Sequential or Row/Column.
Using Sequential Scan Mode: A sequential scan steps through the buttons from left to right beginning in the first row. When the button you want is highlighted, activate your switch.
Using Row/Column Scan Mode: A row/column scan highlights each row of buttons beginning with the top row and moving down the screen. When the row that contains the button you want is highlighted, activate your switch. The scan will then step through the buttons from left to right across the row. When the button you want is highlighted, activate your switch.
Manual Repeat Time
Note: This setting is only available when Auto-Scan is turned off and Button-Hold Scan is turned on.
Controls the speed when you are holding a switch down. Available settings range from 0.2 Seconds to 10 Seconds.
Scan Cancel Time
Note: This setting is only available when Auto-Scan is turned off.
When using two-switch scanning (Configure Switches set to 2 Switches), this is the amount of time your device waits before it cancels the scan and starts over. For example: You move through the scan pattern with switch 1 and go past the button you want. With Scan Cancel Time enabled, you can wait the selected time (for example, 5 seconds) and if you don’t activate switch 2, the scan pattern will reset at the beginning.
Scan Speed
Note: This setting is only available when Auto-Scan is turned on.
Sets the amount of time your device takes to move from one button, row, or column to the next in a scan. Select Scan Speed and choose the appropriate speed. Available settings range from 0.2 Seconds to 10 Seconds. For example, if you selected 1.0 Seconds, a scan would take one second from the time one button is highlighted until the next button is highlighted.
Number of Rescans
Note: This setting is only available when Auto-Scan is turned on.
Sets the number of times the device scans the page automatically. Once you reach the set number of re-scans, the scan will stop until you activate a switch again. Select Number of Rescans and choose the appropriate number of rescans. Available settings are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, and 100.