Foreword

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This document was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology, Subcommittee SC 35, User interfaces.

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Introduction

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) makes use of pictograms and other alternate forms of communication to serve a variety of users not able to fully use available spoken or written language.

Pictograms, like early forms of writing in some natural languages, provide graphic representations of words for communication with persons who cannot speak or use the written form of some natural language.

A set of pictograms provides the vocabulary to be used in a graphical language. There are requirements and recommendations relating to the design and use of individual pictograms and sets of pictograms.

Photographs provide realistic visual representations of particular people, things, and locations. Photos can be used to supplement a set of pictograms. There are requirements and recommendations relating to the purpose, structuring, and use of photos to supplement a set of pictograms.

Icons provide control over the functions of a computer system or some application within a computer system. Icons used by an AAC can come from the computer's operating system or from the AAC itself. There are requirements and recommendations relating to the consistent use of icons within AAC and relating to the differentiation between icons and pictograms.

1 Scope

This document provides requirements and recommendations for the design and use of pictograms, photos, and icons in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in the information and communication technology (ICT) domain.

This document recognizes that AAC can be delivered on various sized devices including computer displays, tablets, and smart phones. It applies to pictograms, photos, and icons that can be used on a range of devices. It is not specific to particular devices or the particular software used.

This document focuses on the needs of those users who cannot use a natural language in written or spoken form to communicate with a peer group or the community as a whole. In facilitating communication with those other people, it also serves them.

2 Normative References

3 Terms and definitions

4 Conventions

5 Introduction

5.1 AAC

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) provide or improve communications by diverse users in diverse contexts utilizing symbols that have strong referents to the social word or phrase, person, thing, location, concept, activity, action, or modifier and can thus, be the common format for reliable intent and communication.

NOTE 1 An AAC use a pictogram vocabulary as the basis for constructing these communications.

NOTE 2 ISO/IEC TS 20071-40 provides an introduction to and basic guidance on AAC in the ICT domain. It also provides common definitions and a framework for more detailed guidance relating to aspects of these AAC.

NOTE 3 An AAC can provide embedded vocalization of text or pictograms.

5.2 Pictograms

There are currently many different types of pictograms in use in AAC.

Pictograms are clear and concise highly contrasting images that constitute the general AAC vocabulary for communication and social interaction.

The general vocabulary is used to construct communication intent in an AAC strategy and can be used as a companion language to a natural spoken language.

Significantly designed pictograms encapsulate the communicative intent and transcend national languages and cultural barriers by engaging globally recognized symbols as a means of communication.

Pictograms can have multiple interpretations and can be adapted to cultural and linguistic structures to facilitate communication and social interaction.

A pictogram vocabulary is a set of pictograms that is intended to be able to construct all types of general communications.

Pictograms serve the roles of:

common nouns and pronouns for people;
locations;
things;
activities;
concepts;
verbs for actions;
modifiers for nouns and verbs;
social words;
negations and conjunction.

NOTE 1 However, a pictogram vocabulary does not attempt to serve the grammatical needs of any particular language. There can be better organizations of the set of pictograms which are more focused on the needs of their users than on the expectations of a particular grammar.

While pictograms representing specific people, things, or locations (that serve the role of proper nouns) can be created, it is more suitable to use photos of the specific people, things, or locations.

NOTE 2 ISO/IEC TR 20071-42 provides a basic pictogram vocabulary that is consistent with the guidance in this document.

5.3 Photos

Photos provide a specialized vocabulary that can supplement the set of pictograms in a customized AAC strategy.

Photos provide specialized versions of the people, things, and locations they represent, similar to the way proper nouns are used. They can be associated with pictograms that more generally represent the people, things, and locations.

Due to the specialized nature, different photos will be meaningful to different users or sets of users.

While users can use an AAC without photos, the inclusion of photos can aid in the application and usability of an AAC.

5.4 Icons

Icons provide the controls for the operations of an AAC, the same way as they can provide controls for other applications.

While many of the icons and associated controls used for AAC will be common to other applications, there are also some specialized controls that will involve new icons specific to AAC functionalities.

NOTE ISO/IEC 11581-10 provides general guidance on the design of accessible icons.

6 Requirements and recommendations on pictograms for AAC

6.1 Use of pictograms within an AAC

6.2 Design of pictograms for AAC

6.3 Organization of pictograms within a pictogram vocabulary

6.4 Design of particular types of pictograms

7 Requirements and recommendations on photos for AAC

7.1.1

7.1.2

7.1.3

7.1.4

8 Requirements and recommendations on icons for AAC

8.1.1

8.1.2

8.1.3

Bibliography