An apparatus for interacting with a developmentally challenged individual is set forth. The apparatus includes a user input device, a visual display, an audio output device, and a processing system. The processing system is connected to control the visual display, the input device, and the audio output device and operates to display one or more photographic images on the visual display based on a mastery level of the developmentally challenged individual. The developmentally challenged individual communicates by selecting one of the a predetermined photographic images from the visual display using the user input device. In response to this selection, the processing system controls the audio output device to play audio vocalizations corresponding to the selected photographic image. As the mastery level of the developmentally challenged individual is increased, the photographic images on the visual display may be presented in a hierarchical manner, in effect increasing the communication vocabulary that is available to the developmentally challenged individual. In one example, the user input device, the visual display, the audio output device, and the processing system are integrated with one another to form a handheld unit.