Alexicom Tech

The World's First Internet-Based Augmentative and Alternative Communication System
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Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started / Training

How do I get started with Alexicom Tech?
What about training?
Can I use the site without attending a training session?

Membership

If I sign up today, when does my subscription begin? When does it expire?
What happens to my pages if my membership expires?
If a school or school district purchases the subscription for my child, will my child have access to the system at home after school hours?

Technical

What internet browser should I use?
What if I'm not getting any sound on my pages?
What internet connection speed do I need?
How do I find out what my connection speed is?
Do I have to have an internet connection to use Alexicom Tech?
Will Alexicom Tech work on my cell phone or other portable internet-capable device?
Can I use any picture I get from the internet or any other image source?


Q. How do I get started with Alexicom Tech?  Return to top

A. You must first create a free account. Once you have an account, you may access public pages and any sample pages that have been created for you. You will have access to your free account for 45 days. You are under no obligation to purchase anything and your information will be kept private.

If you wish to create your own pages, simply subscribe to the service. Your subscription will include either a single- or multi-user account and will last for 1, 3, 6, or 12 months. Upon subscribing, you will immediately become the page author for your accounts. You will gain access to editing and managing tools, including a page editor, a picture manager, a copying tool, the publishing feature, and a user account administration tool.

As a page author, you may create pages for yourself, your user accounts, and the user accounts of others who have made you their user's page author. You may copy pages and images from the "Public Library" and transfer pages and pictures between your accounts. You may upload an unlimited number of pictures from the internet or your hard drive. You may publish an unlimited number of non-expiring pages for offline use. You may transfer authorship of your user accounts to other page authors, like parents and therapists. All this is available the moment you subscribe.


Q. What about training?  Return to top

A. Several online tutorials are included in the authoring tools. These tutorials are designed to take you step by step through the process of making pages, uploading images, copying pages, transferring pages and pictures between your page author and user accounts, and publishing pages for offline use. If you find that the online tutorials are not enough, you may contact our customer support group at Support@AlexicomTech.com and we will gladly provide more detailed instructions.

We also offer 3-hour training sessions at our Phoenix facility. The cost of this course is $150 per page author account. Anyone who will be working with a person using the system or who will be authoring pages is welcome to attend a training session. A page author will not be charged extra for bringing additional people. Please contact us for available training dates and times.


Q. Can I use the site without attending a training session?  Return to top

A. Yes. Upon subscribing, you will immediately gain access to editing, managing, and publishing tools, as well as the online tutorials and a Public Library of sample pictures and pages. The online tutorials describe in great detail how to make your own pages, upload images, copy within and between accounts, and publish pages for offline use. You may also copy pictures and pages from the Public Library into your page author account and user accounts where you may examine them, modify them, and use them as templates.


Q. If I sign up today, when does my subscription begin? When does it expire?  Return to top

A. Your membership will begin immediately upon receipt of payment and will expire based on your selected subscription length of 1,3,6, or 12 months. Your subscription will last from the day (calendar date) that you subscribe through midnight, Arizona time, of the same day (number) of the expiration month or the last day of the expiration month, if that day (number) is not available in the expiration month.


Q. What happens to my pages if my membership expires?  Return to top

A. If your membership expires, you will not be able to access your pages until you have renewed your subscription. Your pages may be deleted after a two-week grace period. Once deleted, your pages cannot be retrieved. You may not be notified of your subscription expiration.


Q. If a school or school district purchases the subscription for my child, will my child have access to the system at home after school hours?  Return to top

A. That depends on your school or school district's policies and licensing agreement. Some institutions only allow access during the time that school is session. Others allow access beyond the hours when the student is at school. You will need to coordinate with the school district to gain page authoring abilities to modify and create pages.


Q. What internet browser should I use?  Return to top

A. This website is cross-browser compatible. It has been W3C verified and successfully tested using Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Google Chrome browsers on Windows, Mac, and Nokia OS2008 operating systems.


Q. What if I'm not getting any sound on my pages?  Return to top

A. The streaming audio files on this site are of MIME type "application/x-shockwave-flash" and require Javascript and Flash to be enabled. You can determine if you have Adobe's Flash player by clicking here. If you are using Internet Explorer, the site should work using the default browser settings. To restore these settings, go to Tools / Internet Options / Advanced and click Restore Advanced Settings then hit OK. If you are using FireFox, go to Tools / Options / Content and make sure that Enable Javascript is checked, then check the file associations in about:config. Click here to see how.


Q. What internet connection speed do I need?  Return to top

A. For smooth live-mode operation, you will need a data transfer rate of 800 kbps or faster. Most DSL and cable systems should be more than fast enough. If you wish to use pages off-line (i.e. "published" pages), a connection speed of 56 kbps is adequate.


Q. How do I find out what my connection speed is?  Return to top

A. Speedtest.net is one of many internet sites which allow you to test the speed of your internet connection.


Q. Do I have to have an internet connection to use Alexicom Tech?  Return to top

A. Not to use it as an AAC device. You only need an internet connection to make, edit, and download pages and manage user accounts. Once you have created a set of pages, you may use them in "live" online mode or "publish" them for offline use on your local hard drive. Pages that have been downloaded to your local hard drive will speak and link without being connected to the internet.


Q. Will Alexicom Tech work on my cell phone or other portable internet-capable device?  Return to top

A. If your device utilizes a full-functioning Internet Explorer or Firefox browser, you should be able to utilize the pages on your device. Screen size, resolution, internet speed, and available add-ons may be the limiting factors in your practical use of Alexicom Tech on these portable devices.


Q. Can I use any picture I get from the internet or any other image source?  Return to top

A. This site accepts images in jpg, bmp, gif, and png formats. All images must be less than 600 by 600 square pixels and no larger than 512kb.

You can upload images from many sources; however, Alexicom Tech LLC assumes no responsibility for the content of your images. The Copyright Basics webpage maintained by the United States Copyright Office is a good place to go if you have questions about copyright law.