Best Speech and Language Options for Transition Planning
Compare the best Speech and Language options for Transition Planning. Side-by-side features, ratings, and verdict.
Choosing the right speech and language support for transition planning can directly affect a student's readiness for employment, postsecondary education, and independent living. The best options help secondary teams target pragmatic language, self-advocacy, workplace communication, and IEP-aligned documentation while fitting real school staffing and budget constraints.
| Feature | Everyday Speech | Boardmaker | Unique Learning System | News2you | Google Workspace for Education | TeachTown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workplace Communication Skills | Yes | Yes | Yes | Indirect | Yes | Limited |
| Self-Advocacy Support | Yes | Customizable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Progress Monitoring | Built-in lesson data | No | Yes | Teacher-led | Forms and rubrics | Yes |
| AAC Compatibility | Indirect support | Yes | Some supports | Some supports | Can integrate | Some supports |
| Secondary Transition Focus | Yes | Teacher-designed | Yes | Yes | Highly customizable | Yes |
Everyday Speech
Top PickEveryday Speech is a widely used social communication curriculum with video modeling, interactive web lessons, and materials that fit secondary speech and transition goals. It is especially useful for teaching pragmatic language, conversation, problem-solving, and workplace social expectations.
Pros
- +Strong video modeling for real-world social and workplace scenarios
- +Easy to align with pragmatic language and self-advocacy IEP goals
- +Includes digital lessons that support group instruction and progress tracking
Cons
- -Less focused on articulation or formal language testing needs
- -Full access may be costly for smaller districts
Boardmaker
Boardmaker supports communication, vocabulary, routines, and visual supports for students with significant communication needs, including those using AAC. In transition planning, it is valuable for building job task supports, community scripts, and independent living communication tools.
Pros
- +Excellent for creating visual schedules, task analyses, and communication supports for work sites
- +Highly useful for students with autism, intellectual disability, or complex communication needs
- +Can be adapted for community-based instruction and independent living routines
Cons
- -Requires staff time to build customized materials
- -Not a complete transition curriculum on its own
Unique Learning System
Unique Learning System offers standards-aligned and transition-oriented instructional materials for students with significant support needs. Its language and communication content can be integrated with vocational themes, community readiness, and self-determination instruction.
Pros
- +Designed for students with extensive support needs in secondary and transition programs
- +Includes data collection and structured routines that help with documentation
- +Supports functional communication within life skills and vocational contexts
Cons
- -Less specialized for speech-language intervention than dedicated SLP platforms
- -Content may require adaptation for students aiming for competitive integrated employment
News2you
News2you uses current events and adapted informational texts to build communication, comprehension, and discussion skills that matter for adult life. It works well for transition teams targeting functional reading, conversation, and community awareness connected to post-school goals.
Pros
- +Provides age-respectful content for older students working on communication and comprehension
- +Supports discussion, inferencing, and real-world vocabulary tied to adult life
- +Useful for integrating classroom speech goals with current events and community participation
Cons
- -Not primarily a speech therapy platform
- -Direct workplace role-play materials are more limited than social communication programs
Google Workspace for Education
Google Workspace for Education is not a speech-specific program, but it is a powerful low-cost option for building transition-focused communication instruction. Teachers and SLPs can use Docs, Slides, Forms, and Meet for self-advocacy scripts, interview practice, workplace writing, and progress documentation.
Pros
- +Flexible for creating individualized communication tasks tied to IEP transition goals
- +Supports collaboration among teachers, SLPs, job coaches, and families
- +Low cost and familiar to many secondary students and staff
Cons
- -Requires educators to design their own speech-language materials
- -No built-in speech therapy scope and sequence
TeachTown
TeachTown provides intervention and transition-related resources for students with moderate to severe disabilities, with emphasis on functional academics, social skills, and adaptive behavior. Its communication components can support school-to-work readiness when paired with community-based instruction.
Pros
- +Useful for students who need highly structured, scaffolded communication practice
- +Can support social language and adaptive behavior goals in transition classrooms
- +Offers data features that help teams document student growth
Cons
- -Less flexible for nuanced secondary workplace communication instruction
- -May feel more intervention-focused than age-authentic for some high school students
The Verdict
For teams prioritizing pragmatic language and workplace-ready social communication, Everyday Speech is often the strongest fit. For students with complex communication needs, Boardmaker stands out for individualized visual and AAC-linked supports, while Unique Learning System and News2you work well for broader transition programs that combine functional communication with life skills and community readiness. Google Workspace for Education is a practical choice for schools that need flexibility and low-cost customization.
Pro Tips
- *Choose an option that matches the student's transition domain needs, such as employment communication, community participation, or independent living routines.
- *Review whether the tool supports measurable progress monitoring that can be used for IEP documentation and reporting.
- *For students with autism, intellectual disability, or complex communication needs, confirm that visual supports and AAC integration are available or easily added.
- *Prioritize age-respectful materials for high school students so instruction feels relevant to work, college, and adult life.
- *Look for resources that allow collaboration among SLPs, special educators, job coaches, and families to reinforce communication across settings.