Development of a Platform to Create Customized High-Tech Aided Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems

Abstract

Language is a fundamental tool that allows to express, understand and discover immediate surroundings by the use of thought. There are various medical conditions, either physical or neurological that impede total or partial use of language, making mandatory the use of tools to replace or support the traditional techniques and even reassess the usual teaching methods. Augmentative and alternative communication systems allow or support people in these conditions to communicate by using their abilities or by using aided systems that make use from rudimentary tools like pencil and paper to high-tech devices. The latter being very comfortable to use, but due to their complexity they require more effort to be created, reason that causes these devices or applications to be limited in personalization, narrowing the target audience that can make practical use of it. The following article presents the development of a platform for the creation of high-tech aided augmentative and alternative communication systems, from which an expert, parent or guardian can make use to generate the ideal tool for a person with disorders related to language, communication and/or speech.