Designing electronic graphic symbol-based AAC systems: a scoping review. Part 1: system description

Area of Science:

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Rehabilitation Engineering

Background:

• Electronic graphic symbol-based AAC systems are crucial for individuals with communication impairments.
• Understanding the current landscape of AAC system design is essential for future development.
• Previous research has not comprehensively reviewed the state of electronic AAC system design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of studies on electronic graphic symbol-based AAC systems.
• To identify the general characteristics of research in this field.
• To describe the features of designed AAC systems and their public availability.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review methodology was employed.
• A comprehensive search identified 28 relevant studies.
• Data extraction focused on study characteristics, system features, public availability, and design processes.

Main Results:

• Most studies originated from high-income countries and involved engineering/computer science authors.
• Designed AAC systems commonly featured customizable vocabulary, graphic symbols, dynamic grids, and speech output on mobile devices.
• Few of the designed AAC systems were publicly available.

Conclusions:

• Complex design decisions in AAC systems require clear justification, often lacking due to limited rehabilitation professional involvement.
• There is a critical need for AAC systems designed for low- and middle-income contexts and multilingual users.
• Enhanced collaboration between designers and rehabilitation professionals can improve AAC system development.