Communication Board Builder

Build a printable communication board — a grid of words someone can point at — and get a print-ready SVG plus a plain-text copy of the same board, generated entirely on your device. Choose the grid size, paste your own words, or start from a core-vocabulary, feelings, pain-and-medical or daily-routine set and edit it from there. Labels are auto-fitted: the font shrinks, then wraps onto two lines, and if a word still will not fit the tool says so instead of letting the text spill silently over the cell edge. No symbols or pictograms are included. The well-known open symbol sets each carry their own licence with attribution and non-commercial conditions we have not cleared, so rather than ship something we cannot licence, every cell can leave a clearly-marked blank image slot for you to fill with your own drawing or photo — and for one particular person, a photo of their actual cup, their actual bathroom or their actual support worker is often clearer than a generic pictogram. Please read the scope honestly: this is a board maker, not a clinical tool. It does not assess anyone's communication needs, does not recommend vocabulary for an individual, and does not replace a speech and language therapist.

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Worked example

Learn the method

Inputs

Start from
core words / feelings / pain and medical / daily routine / my own list
Cell labels (comma or new-line; blank = starter set)
Board title (optional)
Rows (1-8)
3
Columns (1-8)
4
Page size
Letter 8.5 x 11 in / A4 210 x 297 mm
Orientation
portrait / landscape
Colour cells by word class
on / off
Print contrast
standard / high contrast
Border thickness (pt, 0.5-6)
2
Leave an image slot in each cell
yes / no

Frequently asked

Does this include symbols or pictograms?

No, and that is deliberate. The widely used open symbol sets (ARASAAC, Mulberry, Sclera and others) are each released under their own licence — typically Creative Commons with attribution and non-commercial terms — and we have not cleared redistribution rights for them, so bundling them would be a licensing problem, not a feature. Instead you can leave an image slot in every cell and add your own picture. Text-only boards are widely used and work well on their own, and a photograph of the specific object, place or person is often easier to recognise than a generic drawing.

Is this a substitute for a speech and language therapist?

No. It prints a grid of words you typed. It does not assess communication, does not decide which words a particular person needs, and makes no claim about any outcome. If you are choosing vocabulary for someone, a speech-language pathologist or AAC specialist is the person to talk to.

What do the cell colours mean?

When colouring is on, cells are tinted by word class using a Fitzgerald-Key-style grouping: people and pronouns yellow, actions green, describing words blue, social words pink, things orange, and anything the tool does not recognise white. Several colour conventions exist and they disagree with each other, so this is one common convention rather than the standard, and the key is printed in the summary. Turn colouring off if it clashes with what someone already uses.

How big should the cells be?

This tool works out cell size from the page, the margins and your grid, and warns you when a cell edge falls below 1 inch (72 pt), which is the minimum printed size it suggests as a general sanity check. The right size for a given person depends on their vision and motor accuracy and can be much larger — fewer columns, landscape orientation or a bigger page all buy you room.

What happens if a word is too long for the cell?

The font shrinks step by step, then the label wraps onto two lines at a word boundary. If it still cannot fit at the smallest offered size, the label is shortened with an ellipsis and listed in a 'could not fit' note under the board, so you always know. Single words are never broken mid-word.

Can I use my own words instead of a starter set?

Yes. Anything you type in the labels box replaces the starter set entirely. Separate cells with commas, new lines or vertical bars. Extra labels beyond rows x columns are dropped and reported; spare cells are left blank so you can write them in by hand.

Can I get a blank grid to fill in by hand?

Yes — choose 'my own list' and leave the labels box empty. You get an empty grid at your chosen size, with image slots if you want them.