Symbol Summaries

Symbolised summaries and navigation on the ISAAC website

The Widgit Accessibility Team has worked with the International Society for Augmentation and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) to symbolise their website using the Widgit Literacy Symbols (WLS - formerly Widgit Rebus). The ISAAC site now has full WLS summaries on every page, so that every child and adult with communication difficulties can understand and use the website.

Symbolised navigation, titles and page captions

Cate Detheridge, Widgit's Accessibility Team Leader who has supported this project from the outset, says:

“This is the world’s first inclusive mainstream website that is supported with symbols. We have already had fantastic feedback from people using the site and as a result of this success we are now listed as sponsors of the ISAAC site.”

ISAAC’s Chief Executive, Clare Bonnell responded:

”Thank you very much Tina, Cate…for all the work you did to make Rebus summaries available to visitors of the site who communicate with this language. It is indeed a first. The Widgit team’s enthusiasm for people needing AAC and for ISAAC is inspiring.”

On entering the website - www.isaac-online.org - scroll to ‘Choose symbol system to display’ and select the preferred symbol system – 'Widgit Rebus', 'Blissymbols' or 'PCS from Mayer-Johnson'. By clicking the symbol link, the headings and links featured on each web page are automatically symbolised.

Sample page caption

Symbols help to communicate ideas quickly and simply, not only by illustrating words, but also by graphically representing concepts to help readers visualise meaning. The Widgit Literacy Symbols are created under a recognisable schema to facilitate users' learning of the symbol 'language' and they are used extensively throughout Europe, North America and Australasia.

The founders of Widgit have pioneered the use of symbols to support literacy and communication for more than 25 years and remain at the leading edge of development in this field.

To access the ISAAC website go to www.isaac-online.org