What are Symbols and Symbolic Languages?

People with speech disabilities have a difficulty in communication and use symbols and symbolic languages as an alternative method of communication.

Pictures generally convey a lot of information at once and it is not easy to convey specific information using them. Unlike pictures, symbols can convey a particular meaning, not just an object. They can be presented through visual, auditory or tactile media and can take the form of photos, manual signs, printed words, objects, reproduced spoken words, Braille or simple body movements, such as nodding the head and shrugging the shoulders.

Long and complex messages can be presented through different media of varying technical complexities like individual cards, paper charts and communication boards, computer display programs and voice output devices. Irrespective of the media chosen for communication, all these systems provide an individual with more effective ways of communication.

Adults or children with learning difficulties can use a variety of symbols and symbol-based languages to express more complex types of communication that allow them to interact easily.

Pictorial Communication Symbols (PCS), Minspeak and Makaton Symbols are examples of existing formalized symbol sets.