The use of a new visual language as a supporting resource for people with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Our society is radically changing at an astonishing rate essentially, due to the fact that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are becoming an ever greater part of our lives. The frenetic rhythm at which the technology has evolved in recent years, has caused a significant separation between individuals who use communication technologies and those who don’t. There is a technological gap, and most of the time it’s because of the inadequacy both of the hardware and the software currently present for people with different levels of disability. This article discusses the use of a new visual language, known as VILA (VIsual LAnguage), to resolve the accessibility problems that people with certain types of disabilities have when they use ICTs to access to information and knowledge society and to communicate with other people under equal terms. We also present a first evaluation of a software prototype performed by a group of trainers specialized in children with Down syndrome to demonstrate their utility and the application fields of the language, as well as its advantages.