Grid 3
Product by Smartbox Assistive Technology, Inc.
Facts checked: Not yet checked
Our take (not a Learning Standard rating). This label applies to learning-science judgments throughout this overview.
Our take (not a Learning Standard rating)
While primarily an assistive communication tool, Grid 3 effectively facilitates language acquisition and literacy for non-verbal learners. It uses multimodal scaffolding to support vocabulary retrieval and sentence construction. However, The Learning Standard has not yet formally evaluated its direct instructional efficacy. It lacks automated academic instruction.
Pros
- Provides highly customizable grid sizes to effectively manage cognitive load for users with visual or motor impairments.
- Uses multimodal feedback combining auditory speech output with visual symbols to reinforce rapid word recognition.
- Scaffolds expressive language development by transitioning learners from simple symbol selection to complex text-based sentence generation.
Cons
- Lacks built-in assessments or structured mastery progressions for core academic subjects.
- Requires significant educator or parent setup to customize vocabulary grids for specific academic lessons.
- Does not provide automated error correction or instructional feedback when a user constructs an incorrect sentence.
What Do We Know About Grid 3?
Grid 3 is highly effective for teaching functional communication and early literacy to learners with speech and language difficulties. This software functions primarily as an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) platform rather than a traditional academic curriculum. Your child will not find adaptive math drills or reading comprehension quizzes here. Instead, Grid 3 acts as the foundational tool that enables your child to access those subjects. By providing a customizable grid of symbols, words, and phrases, it lowers the cognitive and physical barriers to expression. The platform uses auditory feedback paired with visual symbols, which learning science shows strengthens neural pathways for word retrieval. Parents must understand that Grid 3 requires extensive initial configuration. You or your child's speech-language pathologist must build or heavily modify the communication grids to match your child's current vocabulary and physical access needs. While it supports integration with standard curriculum materials, the app itself does not track academic mastery or provide corrective feedback. It is an access portal, meaning its educational value depends entirely on how you structure the grids and integrate them into daily instruction. Note: Evaluation status is currently pending.
How Does Grid 3 Work?
Grid 3 uses multimodal scaffolding to transition users from basic symbol recognition to full text-based literacy. The software presents users with a visual array of cells containing symbols, words, or letters. When your child selects a cell, the software speaks the word aloud and adds it to a sentence-building area. This immediate auditory and visual reinforcement leverages dual-coding theory, helping learners link abstract symbols to spoken language and text. Users navigate the grids using touch, eye gaze, switch access, or a standard mouse. Progression is highly individualized rather than automated. A beginner might start with a simple four-cell grid focused on core vocabulary like want, more, stop, and go. As vocabulary retention improves, educators can introduce larger grids with categorization structures, grammatical markers, and predictive text. Caregivers and educators manually adjust the complexity of the grid sets as the user's expressive language expands.
Strengths and tradeoffs of Grid 3
Grid 3's biggest strength is its immense customization for cognitive accessibility, while its biggest weakness is the lack of standalone instructional sequences. Customization and Cognitive Load: The software excels at managing cognitive load. Educators can hide cells, color-code parts of speech, and gradually increase the number of options on screen. This deliberate visual organization helps learners map language spatially, improving long-term vocabulary retrieval. Multimodal Feedback: By combining a visual symbol, written text, and synthesized speech output for every selection, Grid 3 actively supports early literacy. This reinforces word recognition through multiple sensory channels simultaneously. Lack of Automated Instruction: Because Grid 3 is an assistive tool, it does not function as an independent digital tutor. There are no spaced repetition algorithms or worked examples to teach a specific math or humanities concept automatically. Data and Assessment: The app tracks usage logs, which can help educators monitor vocabulary frequency, but it does not evaluate academic mastery. If your child constructs a grammatically incorrect sentence, the app will read it aloud exactly as built, offering no corrective feedback.
Who Might Benefit From Grid 3?
Grid 3 is best for non-verbal or minimally verbal learners who need a robust, customizable communication system to access their education. It serves users of all ages, from early childhood through adulthood, who experience physical or cognitive barriers to speech and standard computer access. It is particularly effective for students requiring alternative access methods like eye-tracking or switch controls. Because it requires significant setup, it is ideal for families working closely with a speech-language pathologist to integrate the tool into broader academic goals.
Data Transparency
Does Not Meet Data Transparency Standard
Grid 3 does not meet our data transparency standard. Its privacy policy does not document basic protections, including a commitment against targeted advertising, limits on sharing children's data and parents' right to see their child's data.
15 of 35 checks passed
Evaluated September 2026
Privacy Notice →Level 1 · Basic protections
Does not sell data or target ads at students, limits sharing, and lets parents see and delete their child's data.
Not documented: a commitment against targeted advertising, limits on sharing children's data, parents' right to see their child's data, parents' right to delete their child's data
Level 2 · Parent control (meets the standard)
Families can get their data out, know who processes it, and know how long it is kept.
Not documented: a data retention timeline
Level 3 · Direct data access
Families or schools can pull their own data through an API, in a stated format.
Not documented: an API for retrieving their own data, a named export format
View all 35 checks
Parent Access5/8
Does the policy mention parents specifically?
“You must be over the age of 13 (or minimum age in your country) to use these Online AI features. If you are under the age of 18 you may only use them with parental or guardian consent.”
Can parents view their child's data?
The policy gives access rights to "you" and allows third-party requests with proof of permission, but it does not give parents a right to view their child's data.
Can parents modify their child's data?
The policy does not give parents a right to correct or change their child's data.
Can parents delete their child's account?
The policy says the company will delete a child's data collected without consent, but it does not give parents a right to request deletion.
Is there a dedicated Children's Privacy section?
“Data relating to children”
Does it reference COPPA compliance?
“For U.S. requirements, we also implement contractual and technical protections consistent with applicable federal and state privacy laws (including HIPAA, FERPA, COPPA, GLBA, and the CCPA/CPRA).”
Does it reference FERPA compliance?
“For U.S. requirements, we also implement contractual and technical protections consistent with applicable federal and state privacy laws (including HIPAA, FERPA, COPPA, GLBA, and the CCPA/CPRA).”
Is parental consent required for child accounts?
“We will seek the consent of legal guardians acting on behalf of a child if we, in the provision of our products and services, record any personal information.”
Data Portability2/5
Can users access their personal data?
“Access to the personal data we hold about you”
Can users download/export their data?
“The right to data portability.”
Is there a self-service data access tool?
The policy says users request access by email or phone and describes no self-service access tool.
Is a specific data format mentioned for export?
The policy does not name an export format.
Is there an API for data access?
The policy does not mention an API for data access.
Data Minimization1/6
Is data collection itemized?
“Contact data**: name, address, email address, phone number.”
Can the app be used without a real name?
The policy says it collects names as contact data.
Can the app be used without an email?
The policy says it collects email addresses as contact data.
Does it state collection is limited to what is necessary?
The policy limits how long data is kept to what is necessary, but it does not say that collection is limited to what is necessary.
Is IP address anonymized or truncated?
The policy does not address anonymizing or truncating IP addresses.
Is location tracking explicitly excluded?
The policy does not rule out location tracking.
Third-Party Protection5/7
Does it explicitly state no selling of data?
“We will never sell your data to third parties for commercial purposes.”
Are third-party providers named?
“When you submit text to Online AI Tools, your content will be shared with OpenAI and may be retained temporarily for operational and safety purposes.”
Are providers contractually restricted?
“When we transfer data,we ensure there are appropriate and adequate safeguards in place to ensure your data is securesuch as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), UK IDTA, or adequacy decisions, in compliance with EU GDPR, UK GDPR, CNIL, and the Irish DPA.”
No-targeted-advertising commitment?
The policy makes no commitment against targeted advertising and only lists a US state right to opt out of it.
Is AI/ML data sharing addressed?
“When you submit text to Online AI Tools, your content will be shared with OpenAI and may be retained temporarily for operational and safety purposes. Smartbox do not retain copies of your submitted text.”
Child-specific sharing restriction?
The policy has no sharing restriction that applies specifically to children's data.
Cookies/tracking limited or opt-out?
“Our website uses a cookie banner that requires your active opt-in for non-essential cookies, in line with the GDPR/ePrivacy framework, UK PECR, and guidance from supervisory authorities such as the CNIL.”
Deletion & Retention2/5
Can users delete their account?
“If you hold a Smartbox Account, you can delete the account from your profile page on our website.”
Self-service deletion mechanism?
“If you hold a Smartbox Account, you can delete the account from your profile page on our website.”
Specific data retention timeline?
The policy says data is kept only as long as necessary and gives no specific timeline.
Auto-deletion of inactive accounts?
The policy does not address automatic deletion of inactive accounts.
Post-deletion handling described?
The policy only says some information may be kept for legal reasons and does not describe what happens to data after deletion.
Advertising0/4
Advertising model explicitly disclosed?
The policy does not disclose an advertising model or say the product has no ads.
Free from third-party advertisements?
The policy does not say the product is free from third-party ads.
Children excluded from ad targeting?
The policy does not exclude children from ad targeting.
Ad-free option available?
The policy does not mention an ad-free option or say the product has no ads.
What This Means
The policy review did not meet our data transparency standard. The checks above show the documented findings and unknowns. A missing statement does not establish how the app handles data in practice.
About this evaluation: Based on automated analysis of Privacy Notice against 35 policy-disclosure questions, including questions adapted from the Common Sense Privacy Program's published evaluation questions. TLS is not affiliated with Common Sense Media, and this is not a Common Sense rating. Quoted text is copied from the policy; unquoted notes are our summary. Results describe what the policy documents, not the company's actual practices. Privacy policies can change: this review reflects the version we analyzed and does not determine legal compliance.
Sources and review method
TLS combines product information and editorial analysis to explain how Grid 3 works, its tradeoffs, and the questions to ask before choosing it. Product features, an instructional rationale and evidence of learning outcomes are different kinds of information.
Formal Learning Standard assessment: not yet completed. Data Transparency findings are reported separately and do not establish learning effectiveness. Read our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions About Grid 3
Is Grid 3 free?
No, Grid 3 is not free. You must contact Smartbox Assistive Technology directly for exact pricing, as costs fluctuate based on user needs. Pricing often depends on software licensing requirements, bundled eye-tracking or switch hardware, and regional funding options for assistive technology. Parents should consult their local school district or health provider, as many institutions subsidize or fully cover the cost of AAC devices for eligible students.
Is Grid 3 good for early childhood education?
Yes. Grid 3 includes specialized grid sets explicitly designed for early language learners. It uses large visual symbols and high-contrast cause-and-effect activities to teach foundational communication skills to young children. However, because it is an assistive tool rather than an independent game, it requires a parent, educator, or speech-language pathologist to facilitate the learning process, model vocabulary, and guide the child through the early stages of spatial word mapping.
What does Grid 3 teach?
Grid 3 primarily teaches expressive language, vocabulary retrieval, and sentence construction. By providing customizable symbol arrays, it helps non-verbal learners build functional communication skills. While the software can be customized to allow students to access core subjects like math, humanities, and social science content, the app itself provides the communication framework rather than direct curriculum instruction. It teaches your child how to express what they know, rather than teaching academic subjects directly.
How does Grid 3 compare to standard educational apps?
Unlike standard educational apps that test academic knowledge through drills, Grid 3 is fundamentally an access and communication tool. It lacks automated scoring, spaced repetition algorithms, and instructional feedback loops. Instead of functioning as a digital tutor, Grid 3 serves as the primary voice your child uses to participate in classroom activities, engage with peers, and demonstrate their understanding of lessons taught by human educators.
Has The Learning Standard evaluated Grid 3?
TLS has not yet completed a Learning Standard evaluation of how well Grid 3 teaches. Its privacy policy has been reviewed for Data Transparency and does not yet document the basic protections (Level 1).
Is Grid 3 COPPA compliant?
The reviewed privacy policy references COPPA. A policy reference alone does not establish COPPA compliance. Policy review note: The policy says its protections are consistent with COPPA.
Is Grid 3 FERPA compliant?
The reviewed privacy policy references FERPA. A policy reference alone does not establish FERPA compliance. Policy review note: The policy says its protections are consistent with FERPA.
Does Grid 3 have a children's privacy policy?
The reviewed policy includes a dedicated children's privacy section. Policy review note: The policy has a section headed "Data relating to children".
Does Grid 3 sell student data?
The reviewed policy states that the app does not sell data. This is a policy statement; actual data practices were not verified. Policy review note: The policy says the company will never sell user data.
Can you delete your data from Grid 3?
The reviewed privacy policy describes account deletion. We have not tested the deletion process. Policy review note: The policy says users can delete their account.
Follow TLS Research
Subscribe to future TLS research updates: app reviews, findings, and what the evidence shows.
Screenshots
Take Action
For Grid 3
If you represent Smartbox Assistive Technology, Inc. and have a correction or new evidence, send the relevant source so we can review and update this page.
Submit a correctionDetails
- Pricing
- Contact vendor for pricing.
- Platforms
- Windows (Microsoft)
- Website
- Visit site