FAQ
General
What is Gestallt?
Gestallt is a collaborative phrasebook for autism support teams. It helps parents, therapists, and educators document and share observations about a child’s communication patterns—structured for gestalt language processing (GLP) work.
What does “Gestallt” mean?
It’s a combination of “gestalt” (the whole-phrase language patterns we document) and “all” (the whole team who collaborates). Gestalts for all.
Is Gestallt an AAC app?
No. Gestallt is for documenting communication, not facilitating it. It complements AAC apps (like Proloquo2Go or TouchChat) but doesn’t replace them.
Who is Gestallt for?
- Parents and caregivers who want to capture observations
- Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who want structured home samples
- Educators and aides who want to contribute school observations
- Care teams who need one shared record across contexts
Getting Started
How do I start?
- Create an account with your email
- Create a team (name it after your child)
- Add your first entry
- Invite your SLP or therapist
How do I invite my SLP?
Go to Team Settings and click “Invite Member.” Enter their email address. They’ll receive an invitation to join your team.
Can my SLP work with multiple families?
Yes. Professionals can be members of multiple teams. They switch between teams with one click, and each team’s data is completely isolated.
Do I need to know GLP stages to use Gestallt?
No. Flexible Mode doesn’t require any clinical knowledge—just capture the phrase, add context, and save. Your SLP can add stage classifications later if helpful.
Privacy & Security
Is Gestallt HIPAA compliant?
We describe our approach as “HIPAA-compatible infrastructure.” Our technical architecture (team isolation, verified membership, Firebase/Google Cloud) supports HIPAA requirements. However, full HIPAA compliance also requires organizational policies that are your responsibility to implement.
We’re honest about this distinction. See Security & Privacy for details.
Who can see my data?
Only members of your team. There’s no cross-team access, and Gestallt staff cannot view your data without your explicit permission.
Is my data encrypted?
Yes. Data is encrypted at rest and in transit using Firebase/Google Cloud infrastructure.
Can I delete my data?
Yes. You can delete individual entries, and account deletion removes all associated data.
Features
What’s the difference between Flexible Mode and Clinical Mode?
Flexible Mode is for quick capture: phrase, context, tags, date. Designed for parents who need to log something fast.
Clinical Mode adds structured fields: GLP stage, feelings, location, function, source, and clinical notes. Designed for SLPs who need data for therapy planning.
Both modes write to the same entry—a parent can capture quickly, and the SLP can add structure later.
Can I edit entries after creating them?
Yes. Any team member can edit any entry. Changes are visible to the whole team.
Can I filter entries by stage?
Yes. You can filter by stage, date, tags, or location to review specific subsets of entries.
Is there an app?
Gestallt is a web app that works in mobile browsers. There’s no native iOS or Android app currently, but it’s designed to work well on phones.
Accounts & Teams
What’s the difference between Admin and Member?
Admins (usually parents) can invite and remove team members and update team settings.
Members (usually therapists and educators) have full access to entries but can’t manage team membership.
Can I be on multiple teams?
Yes. This is designed for professionals who work with multiple families. You can switch between teams without logging out.
Can I have multiple admins?
Currently, teams have one admin (the creator). This may change in the future.
What happens if I leave a team?
You lose access to that team’s entries. Your contributions remain visible to other team members.
Technical
Does Gestallt work offline?
Currently, no. An internet connection is required. Offline support may come in the future.
What browsers are supported?
Modern browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge. Mobile browsers work well—the app is designed mobile-first.
Can I export my data?
Not currently built into the app. This is on our list of potential features.
What’s the tech stack?
- Frontend: SvelteKit, Svelte 5, TypeScript
- UI: Bits UI, Tailwind CSS
- Backend: Firebase (Auth, Firestore, Cloud Functions)
- Deployment: Cloudflare Workers
Pricing
Is Gestallt free?
Currently, yes. We may introduce paid tiers in the future, but the core capture and collaboration features will remain accessible.
Will my data be deleted if pricing changes?
No. If we introduce paid tiers, existing users will have options. We won’t delete your data.
Support
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
Contact us through the channels listed on the site, or submit feedback through the app.
Is there documentation?
You’re reading it! See the Docs section for concepts, data model, security details, and more.
Where can I learn more about GLP?
Gestallt is built around gestalt language processing concepts. For clinical resources on GLP, consult speech-language pathology resources and your SLP.
Still have questions?
If your question isn’t answered here, reach out and we’ll help.