Continuous Path Foundation

Everyone deserves a continuous path.

A clear route forward — not handed to anyone, but not closed off by needless barriers either. Communication is essential to walking that path. The Continuous Path Foundation builds free, open-source AAC software so the millions of people worldwide who can't easily speak or type can still navigate toward what matters most to them.

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The problem we're addressing

Around the world, tens of millions of people live with conditions that make speaking or typing difficult or impossible — ALS, cerebral palsy, stroke, autism, spinal cord injury, and more. The tools that can give them a voice exist, but the best ones cost thousands of dollars and are usually locked into a single "AAC appliance." Outside of well-funded healthcare systems, almost nobody can afford them.

We think that's solvable.

Our approach

CPF works on a simple premise: a $60 to $80 Android tablet has more than enough power to run a great AAC system, if the software is designed for it. We build that software, give it away, building in the kinds of input methods that actually work for people whose movement, vision, or motor control is limited.

Three current focus areas

  • Affordable hardware. We target inexpensive, widely-available Android phones and tablets — not specialized AAC devices. We plan to also port to other hardware platforms to make the software as widely available as possible.
  • Effective input methods. Our team has spent decades on this problem. CPF's founder co-invented T9 (predictive texting, which shipped on roughly 8 billion phones) and Swype (continuous-path keyboard input, ~1 billion phones, now emulated on every major phone platform). The origin of those technologies was in development efforts in the field of AAC, and we are working to bring them back to their original home.
  • Open source, open access. Everything we build is free and open. Anyone can download it, translate it, study it, or build on it.

What we're working on right now

HeadBoard

Control a system mouse with head movements alone, using only a tablet's front-facing camera: text entry, OS navigation — anything a finger touching the screen can do. No special hardware required.

Learn more →

JustType

A redesigned 8-key keyboard that works with whatever input method works best for a person today: touch, head-tracking, joystick, switches, or directional swipes — and keeps working as those abilities change.

Learn more →

Three ways to connect

You or someone you know needs AAC

See what's available now, how to try it, and what we're working on next.

For users & families →

You work in AAC, literacy, research, or development

We're actively looking for collaborators, beta testers, and partners.

Get involved →

You want to support the mission

CPF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your contribution helps us keep this work free for the people who need it.

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