Widgits

Background in symbols and symbol supported information – the current situation

The importance of symbols in every-day materials

We know that there is a growing body of people with learning difficulties who use symbols. Symbols have been used extensively in special schools since the recommendations by the National Curriculum Council Guidance (Now QCA) in the late 1990s.

As these students leave school they increasingly expect to see symbols in their daily lives.

Older people who did not use symbols in their earlier development have a more mixed experience. There are many organisations, such as the Home farm Trust, who use symbols in their centres and expect symbols to be a normal part of the environment.

The feedback from the recently launched Election Special area of the symbolworld.org website and the magazine section eLive demonstrates the value and range of users for whom symbols open opportunities.

Including symbols in regular society and making simplified symbol supported information includes these users in the environment, and gives positive messages to everybody that this group are an important part of society.

The inclusion of symbols at the Eden Project in Cornwall, UK, demonstrates their respect for all members of society. Widgit have had feedback from organisations that this makes Eden an appropriate place to visit. Visiting groups were excited to see the same symbols there as the ones they used in their centre. Widgit have also had several people tell them that they visited the site after hearing that Wigit Symbols were being used. The coffee exhibit has been very well received.

Development of symbols and software tools

Widgit have been pioneers in developing the software tools to manipulate symbols, and in the development of an extensive symbol vocabulary to meet the rapidly changing interests of people with learning difficulties. They have been developing leading edge applications since the early 1980s. The most recent are Communicate: In Print, a symbol desktop publishing program for creating supported materials and Communicate: Webwide, a web browser that will give supported access to the majority of web sites. It can also automatically add symbols to most English language site. This is important because it frees the users from ‘gate-keepers’ and reliance on information providers. It frees the user to choose what websites they visit.

The Widgit Rebus symbols are used in many countries and the software has been translated into 15 languages. There are more in development. For example, they are used widely throughout Scandinavia. Overseas symbol users will recognise the Widgit symbols when visiting the Eden site.

In reality, the language used in many web sites will still be too complex and ideally organisations will create simplified text areas of their site which will be more appropriate to people with reading difficulties. Widgit are now creating tools for web designers to dynamically add symbols to their web sites so that users do not need to have specific software or the special web browser. They are also working on a symbol web-based email program.

Supported information services

A core part of symbol development has been work on the application of symbols and in offering guidance on accessible information. For a few years this work was carried out by SymData Technologies on behalf of Widgit. However, as part of the consolidation of the company, the Symdata team has now joined Widgit, which has enabled the expansion of this work with the creation of the larger Widgit Accessibility Team, headed by Cate Detheridge.

Symbols Inclusion project

An interesting expansion in the number of children using symbols is demonstrated by the Symbols Inclusion project. This is a collaboration between Widgit and the Warwickshire Disability and Inclusion team. Under this project the LEA has seconded two members of staff, working 6 days per week between them, to work in the Widgit offices creating materials and offering training, to encourage the use of symbols in all Warwickshire primary schools. They are convinced that symbols can help many struggling readers in addition to those with learning difficulties. We are aware that this trend is growing.

The materials from this project are being shared through the Widgit web site, and the statistics suggest that they are being well used.

Partnerships and projects

There are a number of interesting projects underway that are exploring the application of symbols in less traditional contexts. For example in supporting non-English speakers to access medical services. The indications are that there are many groups who may, in time, find a level of symbols useful.

Quotes on Widgit

“For our students, most of whom have very limited sight vocabulary if they can read any words at all …. Symbols are so much easier to understand. These symbols have given them access to text that was previously a mystery to them. We use these symbols in every curriculum subject to improve access.”

Gela Griffiths, Senior teacher, Redbridge High School, Liverpool

“The package of Widgit programs with a concept keyboard adds up to a communication system that is undoubtedly going to enhance the quality of X’s life. His motivation to use it is exactly what I thought it would be.”

Barry Pointon – a personal carer for an adult with significant learning difficulties

"Hardly a day goes by without the computer being turned on and Writing with Symbols being used to support some aspect of the curriculum in the classroom…".

Woodlands school, Surrey.

"The Rebus element of Writing with Symbols is an excellent support for strongly visual dyslexics as it provides an image to help them spell tricky words and homonyms more accurately. As the word processor speaks, they can work more independently to prepare work in a multi-sensory environment."

SEN ITC Consultant

"Using symbols I have made many games, classroom notices, flashcards and visual timetables and I am still discovering new ways to use it in the classroom. This package is more than a useful resource for the teacher, it is an essential tool for creating resources materials and for stimulating and helping pupils to learn."

Surrey Learning & Language Support Service