About
The demo
The demo showcases the Text2Picto translation technology, which were developed to improve the accessibility of the Internet for people with an intellectual disability. The Dutch translation technologies are used on the safe web environment WAI-NOT.
The original Text2Picto system (i.e., the web demo for Dutch without advanced spell checking, word sense diambiguation or simplification) was implemented by Vincent Vandeghinste within the "Picto" framework (2012-2014), a project financed by the Steunfonds Marguerite-Marie Delacroix to enhance communication for people with reading disabilities. The Cornetto database was used to link pictographs to words, by Vincent Vandeghinste and Ineke Schuurman.
The original version of the Dutch Text2Picto web demos was implemented by Leen Sevens as part of her PhD project "Words Divide, Pictographs Unite" (2015-2018) at KU Leuven under the supervision of Frank Van Eynde and Vincent Vandeghinste. This project was funded by the Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen. The current demo was transferred to the Dutch Language Institute and adapted from the original demo by Vincent Vandeghinste. The source code of the project is available from github.
The original demo can be found at http://picto.ccl.kuleuven.be.
The pictograph sets
The Beta system was developed as a visual, communication-supportive system, from the conviction that other pictographic systems were too abstract or too systematic.
The Sclera website and pictographs were designed at Terninck, a day care centre for adults with a cognitive disability. The targeted group made use of a special calendar filled with black and white images, which helped them to give shape to their weekly activities.