"Jakob uses his MiniMerc at home, school and speech therapy--pretty much everywhere he goes. His MiniMerc helps him communicate with his teachers and parents and reinforces his language skills both at home and speech therapy. Jakob also sometimes accesses CDs and his favorite Web sites (through a Wireless PC Card) using the MiniMerc.

"Jakob loves to explore and spends a lot of time go through the various programs and listening to the words that the computer speaks and repeating them aloud. We believe that doing this has helped improve his vocabulary. He also likes to listen to stories and songs that are pre-programmed on the device, as it gives him extra practice repeating words and phrases.

"Previously Jakob used the PECS system to communicate, dragged me to a desired object to get what he wanted, or just tried to do things himself. We believe that the MiniMerc has helped Jakob communicate more easily without becoming as frustrated. Because Jakob was already familiar with the PECS system, it was easy for him to transition to the MiniMerc and the pre-programmed software.

"The MiniMerc has been great because it's relatively easy to program and has the same functions as a typical computer. This has made it easier for us to expand the use of the device as Jakob has progressed."

-- Jakob's father