[oats-sig] Mulberry Symbol Set

Thanks for a clear explanation of the project Garry.

I'm really looking forward to seeing new applications appearing that
use the symbols. Applications like symbol chat or email and other web
communication and social uses promise to be really enabling. These
symbols could be a catalyst for innovation.

I'm keen to incorporate them in the web-side part of Jambu and would
like to discuss possible applications.

Steve

2008/5/1 Paxtoncrafts Garry <garry at paxtoncrafts.com>:
>
>
>
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> Just thought I'd give an overview of the objectives of our symbol set
> project. Might help everyone to see where we're coming from.
>
>
>
> Mulberry Symbol set project objectives
>
> Our key customers are Speech and Language Therapists (SaLTs) plus other
> carers, teaching staff, etc, who are seeking symbol based solutions for
> their client's speech and communication problems.
>
>
>
> Understanding that market: This group's main use of symbols and symbol
> software is in .wmf format (such as PCS, Widget/Rebus, Maketon, etc).  But,
> a lack of funds within the NHS means that the end-client (perhaps an adult
> stroke victim or child with cerebral palsy) often does not have access to
> symbols or symbol-software to enable their communication.  A notable
> exception to this is for the under-19's still in education, who do attract
> some local government funding.  For others it often depends whether family
> members are willing to provide funds, or grants from charities, etc.
>
>
>
> Consequently, many of the commercially available software products, hardware
> solutions and symbol sets are simply not accessible by a large part of the
> disabled community. For example, the model for SaLTs in Essex and Suffolk is
> typically to photocopy black and white symbols from commercial symbol sets
> that they have purchased and create hardcopy printed charts for each clients
> – higher forms of AAC are rarely available, except in the schools context.
>
>
>
> In this captive market, there is no need for fast response and little
> competition by symbol developers.  So SaLTs struggle to find modern symbols
> such as iPod, Wii, etc.  When new addendums or additional symbols are
> released by commercial suppliers, clients often don't know about them, plus
> these are not free - the addendums have to be purchased.  Even worse, where
> the symbols are bundled in with the software, you often have to re-purchase
> the symbols each time a new software product is purchased that incorporates
> symbols, even for the same client PC!
>
>
>
> Licensing: Commercial license agreements quite rightly protect the
> investment of symbol designers organisations, providing their revenue
> stream.  However, we have found this a limit to innovation.  For example,
> our earlier intent to design a symbol-based internet chat program foundered
> because existing commercial symbol set suppliers were not willing to allow
> their symbols to be transmitted across the internet, for obvious commercial
> reasons.  The only solution that was acceptable was a program that required
> each client to purchase their own local copy of a symbol set.
>
>
>
> Our response:
>
> -        To create a free symbol set designed for use by anyone with speech
> problems who requires symbols to support their communication needs.
>
>
>
> -        A license as close to "public domain" as possible will be selected
> (Creative Commons SA-BY), but which protects the significant effort and
> funding that is being invested from undesired exploitation.  Our preference
> is to deliver the symbols free of cost at the point of delivery, but
> commercial gain is permitted, as is the modification and free
> re-distribution of our symbols.  The license ensures our aims continue in
> perpetuity, including all derivative works.
>
>
>
> -          We are not in the business of competing with existing symbol
> sets, but we do wish to provide a symbol set that
>
> o        is at least of equivalent, if not higher quality than those that
> already exist,
>
> o        contains modern symbols and is constantly growing in content, but
> at zero cost to the client.
>
> o        is designed to appeal to adults (who often find existing symbols
> somewhat "juvenile" in design)
>
> o        is a compatible format (eg, .wmf), to allow ours to be incorporated
> into the existing software and hardware products to complement existing
> symbol sets
>
> o        is available in additional formats such as .svg as a resource to
> support new  initiatives in symbol-based developments, at zero cost to
> developers.
>
>
>
> These were the drivers that inspired us to fire up the project a couple of
> years ago. I'd certainly be interested to hear from anyone who feels the
> above scenario has improved (or worsened), as these issues are the lie
> behind the project justification.
>
>
>
> Many thanks
>
> Garry Paxton

-- 
Steve Lee
--
Open Source Assistive Technology Software
web: fullmeasure.co.uk
blog: eduspaces.net/stevelee/weblog