Communication is not easy for Will Sanders.

The second-grader at Lincoln Elementary School has cerebral palsy and is unable to talk. For him, answering questions, greeting his parents or letting people know what he wanted has meant spelling out words on a letter board.

Though Sanders is cognitively on par with his peers, his slow, arduous method of communicating — one letter at a time — put the 7-year-old in danger of falling behind.

But thanks to his speech pathologist, Sanders was chosen as one of just 40 children worldwide who will receive a pricey device that reads out loud words that are chosen by users.

At a presentation at Lincoln School yesterday, Sanders was given the speaking aid along with a lesson on how to use it.

Within minutes, the bright, smiling second-grader was chattering away through the handheld computer, answering questions and naming his favorite food (doughnuts) and animal (iguana).

"My name is Will," were the first words he said through the device. "I am 7 years old and in second grade."

Prentke Romich Co., which manufactures a variety of devices for disabled children and adults, gave away the speaking aids as part of its 40th anniversary.

The Mainland-based company, founded in 1966, said it wanted to give the devices to children who did not have regular access to them or whose families could not easily afford them.

The high-tech aids, about the size of a laptop, cost as much as $10,000. Sanders' device is priced at about $7,000.

Melanie Shiraki, a speech pathologist who works at Lincoln and other Honolulu schools, nominated Sanders for the aid after seeing how frustrated he got when he tried to communicate. Just saying hello was a struggle.

"Because of his cerebral palsy, it makes it extremely difficult for him to speak," Shiraki said yesterday.

"Spelling for him is a very long process. But this will open a new world for him. It's a faster way to communicate."

Sanders was the only child in the Islands chosen to receive the device. There were 29 children picked from across the Mainland, as well as 10 kids from outside the U.S.

The aid Sanders received is called the Vantage Plus, and it allows users to construct sentences by spelling words or finding them in categories. For example, the word "apple" is found under a food icon, "happy" is found under feelings.

Once the sentence is complete, the device "speaks" for the user in a male or female voice. The device can be used for all ages, said company consultant Kathy Crites-Lewis.

Todd Sanders, the second-grader's father, said he is excited about the prospect of communicating more with his son.

"His mind is quick," Sanders said yesterday. "It's really difficult for him, but now this will really help him talk."

Sanders also said his son has overcome many other challenges — and though he gets frustrated when he wants to communicate, he never gives up. He sees it as a normal part of life he has to adapt to and overcome.

His son already has worked hard to increase his overall strength and mobility. Will San-ders had been in a wheelchair before going through several rigorous years of physical therapy in the Islands and overseas.

The second-grader still has a wheelchair and a walker, but he rarely uses them. He prefers to walk.

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.