Letterboards, stencils, and keyboards.
The physical tools of text-based communication. Each has a role; none of them is the method.
Stencils
Large, laminated alphabet stencils with cut-out letters provide proprioceptive feedback at the fingertip — the edges of the cut-out help the motor system feel where it is going.
Letterboards
Printed alphabet boards (often QWERTY or three-row alphabetic) are the next step. They preserve the physical pointing motion while removing the tactile guide.
Keyboards
FC and Supported Typing typically start on an iPad with a text-to-speech app. Tablet keyboards and physical keyboards may be used as motor skill consolidates or with the proper motor support. Text-to-speech apps give typists the ability to have their words spoken as they type.
Many typists move fluently between tools depending on the day, the partner, and the cognitive demand. The tool follows the learner — not the other way around.
Before choosing a board or device, the person and their support team first look at their preferences and needs, the environments they spend time in, and the communication tasks and activities in those environments. After that, they can decide which board and/or device works best — and many people use more than one.