Experiencing and Delineating a Vocabulary for a Tangible Environment to Support Alternative and Augmentative Communication

Graphic symbols are a vital part of the Alternative and Augmentative Communication System. The communication fluency of the user that uses graphic symbols depends on factors like the vocabulary (set of symbols) selected, how accurate the relation between the symbols and their referents is presented, the way how the communication system is shown, and so on. The main goal of this research is to analyse an initial set of graphic symbols proposed in a computational environment which uses tangible technology, through Radio Frequency Identification, to represent communication cards used as a way of Alternative and Augmentative Communication technology. Seven workshops were carried out with tutors, children and researchers in an educational context. The results showed the process of selection by the participants to a initial set of the environment's cards, pointing out those that are representatives and contribute to the communication and suggesting the redesign of others, as well as changes in the tangible environment and its interaction way.