8 Open-Source Concept Coded Graphic Symbol support in OpenOffice.org

FOSS-AMASatellite event

Mats LundälvDART, Sahlgrenska Univ. Hospital

GöteborgSweden

Open-Source Concept Coded Graphic Symbol Support in

OpenOffice.org

27-28 March 2010, Paphos, Cyprus Mats Lundälv, DART, Sahlgrenska Univ. Hospital

FOSS-AMASatellite eventAccessibility Everywhere

– also in the cognitive domain !?The ÆGIS project: Accessibility Everywhere –

Groundworks, Infrastructures, Standards Addresses accessibility on the general level Committed to include cognitive accessibility issues in

the scope of its ambitions However, this is the most complex and least addressed

and established area of general accessibility efforts Typically supported by special solutions and resources Huge benefits if some more general infrastructures for

cognitive support could be developed and widely provided Focus on support for access to communication and

language content – multimodal language support.

(Motivation, problem area)



Investigate ways to apply established methodologies in special solutions for cognitive support in the language area – in AAC and special needs education – on a more general level by:Further develop and refine the Concept Coding Framework (CCF) technology for multi-modal and multi-lingual language and symbol support, defined in the WWAAC and SYMBERED projects (primarily for web platforms) for application on desktop and mobile platformsImplement and test CCF based general symbol support with users and experts – in combination with other open a11y services (TTS etc) - for the open source and cross-platform desktop environment as a plugin extension component for OpenOffice.org... and as an open source Java application for AAC support on a range of mobile platforms supporting Java (not covered here)

Research Objectives


FOSS-AMASatellite event Research approach,

Methodology Based on state-of-the art in graphic symbol support and defined

use cases and personas; Research, develop and test what may be achieved with a generalistic approach with a CCF plugin extension for OO.org. Issues:

– Database format: complementing MySQL with JavaDB/Derby

– Populating the database – for initially two freely available symbol systems; Bliss and ARASAAC – and two languages; English and Swedish. Refining methods for effective semi-automatic CCF ontology database population

– Refinement of word/phrase-to-concept/symbol lookup – from quality of data and frequency priorities, to the addition of active language parsing and processing (per language)


FOSS-AMASatellite event Research approach,

Methodology

– Scaling problems, response times, needs for optimisation, stripping of redundant data

– Using RDF support in ODF 1.2 for concept code annotation

– Resolving the use, or limitations in use, of the only partially supported Ruby Annotation format in OO.org

– UI and interaction issues; What alternative modes of graphic symbol support could and might effectively and realistically be provided – iterative design and testing


FOSS-AMASatellite event Major Outcomes / Results

Current outcomes:

– The first alpha version of the CCF symbol support plugin for OpenOffice.org released for Pilot testing and feedback

• Only partial implementation of planned UI and interaction models

• Database format: Complementing MySQL with JavaDB/Derby – completed (possibly other formats to be considered)

• Early stage of RDF support in ODF 1.2 for concept code annotation

• A first preliminary database population accomplished – Bliss and ARASAAC symbols – and English and Swedish. Needs lots of error checking, improvements and manual adjustments

• Refining methods for effective semi-automatic CCF ontology database population – ongoing


FOSS-AMASatellite event Major Outcomes / Results

Envisaged outcomes:

– The full version of the CCF symbol support plugin for OpenOffice.org released as a free OS exemplar component

• Full implementation of tested and revised UI and interaction models – including Ruby Annotation formatting and alternative levels and styles of symbol support

• Support for more symbol systems – e.g. Mulberry symbols – and more languages; Spanish, Dutch ...

• Refinement of word/phrase-to-concept/symbol lookup – as far as resources allow: Addition of active language parsing and processing (per language)

– Contacts for further co-operation about multilingual grammar based support for text to symbol translation have been established with the newly started 7th FW project MOLTO www.molto-project.eu


FOSS-AMASatellite event User Interface & Interaction

design 1

UI design scetch Including support for Ruby Annotation layout and handling

of symbol representation ambiguity



Current actual UI design No support for Ruby Annotation layout or handling of

symbol representation ambiguity (apart from show all available alternatives option).

User Interface & Interaction design 2



Control Current design for turning the graphic symbol support

(and concept coding) on and off:




Settings Current design with support for Bliss and/or ARASAAC in

optional priority, and for English and Swedish (partially)




CCF – the basic components:

The Concept Coding Framework -1



CCF – an alternative view:




CCF – in operation:



FOSS-AMASatellite event Conclusions and

Outlook At this fairly early stage of the development it is possible to conclude:It will be possible to provide good basic OS multimodal language support in the form of a free plugin for concept coded graphic symbol support within OpenOffice Writer, possibly also within Impress and other applications of OO.orgWe will be able to use the RDF support in the ODF 1.2 standard for the concept coding meta-data storageThe levels of refinement that may be achieved in disambiguation of language modality transformations, UI and interaction support remain to be further investigated, prototyped and testedThe current state-of-the-art software special software for the target user groups will not be made redunent, but an important complement will be provided opening for wider application in standard open source as well as proprietary environments

8 Open-Source Concept Coded Graphic Symbol support in OpenOffice.org

Technology

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