We present a new turbo-coding method which parses the input block into n-bit symbols and interleaves on a symbol-by-symbol basis. This is used in conjunction with different modulation techniques to take advantage of tradeoffs between bit error rate performance, code-rate, spectral efficiency, and decoder complexity. The structure of the encoder and decoder of these codes, which We call symbol-based turbo codes, are outlined. The bit error rate performance of a few specific codes are examined. A discussion on decoder complexity is also included. Symbol-based turbo codes are good candidates for low delay transmission of speech and data in spread spectrum communication systems.