Communication aids are not a neutral technology or transparent medium. Alongside the message they transmit, they inevitably send out other signals themselves. Their physical design, interactions, voice qualities, and intonation or lack of it all communicate something too. How important for these signals to have been considered as part of the design process and for the person using the device to be supported by these layers of communication, not undermined by them.
In order to communicate with other people, Somiya Shabban uses a dialogue book, in which she points to words or images. This is versatile, but it can be laborious. When Somiya was still at school,
Johanna Van Daalen from the design group Electricwig worked with her to help her to express herself more fully. In particular, Somiya wanted the freedom to express frustration more spontaneously, so together they designed a badge she could activate using a switch next to her head, whenever she wanted to.
When she does this, the badge lights up with the words "Somiya says SOD OFF."
This message is wonderfully direct and disarming, and yet the badge expresses so much more besides this information. It also communicates that she is the kind of person who will use this language; that she is the kind of person to whom this is important enough to dedicate a button to; and that she doesn't mind who knows this. - Graham Pullin, Design Meets Disability, pp 175-177
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