The use of information an communication technologies in augmentative and alternative communication: literature review in Portugal

Abstract

The applicability of the information and communication technologies, especially mobile devices, to augmentative and alternative communication is relatively recent in Portugal. Their characteristics of universality and portability allow to access information, communicate through voice, image and writing, working, perform recreational activities and multiple others activities almost anywhere and any place. It also promotes skills development in people with special educational needs, like physical, cognitive and social skills, when using the appropriate adaptations and digital augmentative and alternative communication software or other applications adapted to their physical or sensory disabilities. The aim of this work is to reveal the state of the art about the use of information and communication technologies in the context of special educational and more specifically in augmentative and alternative communication in Portugal, supported on the literature review. We selected the Portal B-on – Online Knowledge Library, since it allows us to have a perspective of several databases repositories of scientific research. This literature review aim to analyze, summarize and interpret some studies carried out in Portugal that focus on the binomial: Information and Communications Technologies and children with Special Education Needs.