An iconic and keyboard based communication tool for people with multiple disabilities

Abstract

Around 2.1 million people in India are affected by severe speech and motor impairments (SSMI). Unfortunately only a minute fraction of them have access to Advanced Assistive Devices (AAD) which are still very expensive and beyond affordability for a major portion of the people in India. Moreover, such devices generate text messages or speech mostly in English which makes them unusable by a majority of the Indian population. Thus it should be our endeavour to make these assistive devices accessible to the common multitude. This paper briefly describes a portable version of Sanyog, an Augmentative and Alternative Communication(AAC) tool developed in India which caters to Indian multilingual needs. The communication tool is based on an iconic query-response interface. The system is currently available in English, Bengali and Hindi versions. It is used in a range of Indian institutions serving children with speech and motor impairments.