An e-mail programme for mentally impaired persons

Abstract

The ALDICT project (1998-2001) from TIDE programme (Access of Persons with Learning Disabilities to Information and Communication Technologies) had as primary goal to create and develop an e-mail programme for people with mental impairment (MI) using different graphic signs communication systems. Simplified e-mail software was developed, using graphic symbols to enable MI persons to communicate with people using different graphic sign systems or the Roman alphabet without having to perform complex tasks required by regular e-mail software. Moreover, the e-mail allows MI users to communicate with people from different countries without knowing their native language (the programme allows the automatic translation of the words written with the roman alphabet that normally follows the sign graphic symbols as well as the change between the different graphic sign systems used). As a general conclusion we can say that the e-mail programme developed may be regarded as a good tool to teach MI students to communicate with graphic signs and to increase their communication skills and social networks. However, some improvements are still required.