From first-time LMS users
to global training at scale:
The Smartbox story
“Smartbox Academy reached 37 countries, and we’ve now got over 12,000 learners in just three years. We would have never been able to create that reach without TalentLMS”
How Smartbox scaled customer training to 12,000+ learners worldwide
Smartbox believes communication is life. The company builds Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) technology that helps people with disabilities express themselves when speech isn’t an option. The need is enormous: around 97 million people worldwide could benefit from AAC, yet only 1-2% ever get it.
Closing a gap that size takes more than technology. Smartbox has a dual mission: raising awareness of AAC and helping professionals build the skills to support AAC users effectively.
Their core learners are speech and language pathologists, educators, and other specialists. Families, caregivers, and the wider AAC community benefit from the same training too. For years, though, it was reactive, delivered to one customer at a time. To reach more people, they needed it to grow as wide as their mission. And that’s where TalentLMS came in.
Building a global training program with a team of two
Smartbox Academy teaches professionals, families, and caregivers the skills to help people communicate: setting up and customizing someone’s vocabulary and using their device at home, in school, and at work.
The program launched with just 10 courses and has grown into a library of 50. A team that started with 2 members—that has now tripled in size—runs all of it, reaching learners that in-person training never could.
It also gave them something they never had: visibility. Before, there was no real way to know if training was working. Now course surveys and certifications show what’s landing and who’s completing it, so they can fix what isn’t and shape the program around real learner feedback.
Training benefits TalentLMS brought to Smartbox
A bigger audience without a bigger team: 12,000+ learners across 37 countries in 3 years.
Learning without the struggle: an intuitive experience lowers the barrier to using AAC.
Growth that doesn’t strain the budget: the right features at a price that fits scaling.
Content that stays current: up-to-date e-learning twice a year, plus growing instructor-led sessions.
Built to reach every language: with branches, Smartbox is rolling out translated academies.
Help before blockers stall learning: a support team that responds fast and acts on feedback.
Training Excellence Awards
Finalist, Positive Impact Award
Smartbox helps people with disabilities and communication difficulties find their voice and live more independently. Congratulations to the team on being named a finalist in the Positive Impact Award. A fitting reflection of their work.
Explore more training success stories
Video Transcript
Kerry Vacara
Smartbox is a leading provider of AAC technology, supporting over 10,000 people worldwide. AAC refers to different ways that people communicate either as well as or instead of using speech.
Historically, our training was quite reactive, usually delivered after someone received an AAC system. But as we grew internationally, expanding into the US, Europe, and Australia, we needed a more scalable approach, and TalentLMS gave us the tools we needed to scale globally.
As a leading AAC provider, we really feel a responsibility to raise awareness because despite the need, AAC is still often seen as a niche. We wanted to do this in two ways: through free training to remove cost barriers so more people can learn and get involved, and through upskilling professionals and caregivers so they can better support people using AAC. This led to the development of Smartbox Academy, our comprehensive AAC training portal powered by TalentLMS. This has really fueled our growth.
We looked at a number of platforms at the time, and our needs were clear. We needed a solution that was easy to set up for first-time LMS users. We wanted an intuitive and positive experience for our customers. And we needed the right mix of features at an approachable price.
TalentLMS ticked all those boxes for us.
Kim Lawther
When we launched in 2023, our training department was a team of two. TalentLMS was so intuitive and easy for us to use, which got us up and running really quickly.
Kerry Vacara
The fact that we’ve reached 37 countries and now have over 12,000 learners in just three years. We would never have been able to create that reach without TalentLMS.
Kim Lawther
Now, we launch new e-learning content twice a year and are always evolving our offering. We’re also looking at growing our instructor-led sessions and learning programs with different customer groups.
The support team at TalentLMS have been really great. They’re so responsive when we reach out and also take lots of feedback.
Kerry Vacara
So, in a world where only 1 to 2 percent of people who could benefit from AAC currently have access, there’s still so much more to do.
By continuing to grow and strengthen our training offer on Smartbox Academy with TalentLMS, we believe we can reach more individuals and move closer to a world where no one is left without a voice.
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