Dissertation committee:
Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής ΕΚΠΑ Γεώργιος Κουρουπέτρογλου (Επιβλέπων), Καθηγητής Πανεπιστημίου Κρήτης Κωνσταντίνος Στεφανίδης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής ΕΚΠΑ Ευστάθιος Χατζηευθυμιάδης
Summary:
In this dissertation, the ITHACA framework is analyzed. It is a software
environment for building adaptable, multilingual, modular, sustainable, and
cheap Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) applications grounded
on: 1) the Design for All principles, 2) component-based development, and 3)
Open Source.
We study communication, language, and speech theories and the communication
needs of possible users, as well as their systematic categorization. The
software environment has been successfully applied by implementing a family of
AAC products, based on interchangeable components. Several ready to use
ITHACA-based components, including on-screen keyboards, Text-to-Speech, symbol
selection sets, e-chatting, and e-mailing components have been developed. This
demonstration showed good acceptance of the ITHACA applications and substantial
improvement of the end users’ communication skills. Developers’ experience on
working in ITHACA’s Open Source projects was also positively evaluated.
Keywords:
Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Οpen source software, Components, Design for All, Symbolic communication systems
