This document summarizes a presentation about developing graphic symbol support in OpenOffice and LibreOffice. It discusses developing a symbol server and inline symbol fonts to display symbols based on the Concept Coding Framework (CCF). The presentation outlines the rationale, user needs, current capabilities, and feedback from pilot testers. It describes the CCF technology and plans to improve usability, add features, and expand language and symbol support based on tester input to benefit users with disabilities or language learning needs.

1. Graphic Symbol Support in
Open/LibreOffice Shaping Up
Graphic Symbol Server and Inline Symbol Font
Display Based on the CCF
(Mats Lundälv, SU-DART)
AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels

2. Symbol Supported Writing and Reading in LO/OO Writer
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The rationale for this work and how it's done
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Primary and secondary target user needs
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Current state: How the needs are met
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The technology behind it
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What the pilot testers say
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Where we're going from here – within and
beyond AEGIS – conclusions
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3. Symbol Supported Writing and Reading in LO/OO Writer
– the Rationale
Inclusive Multi-modal Language Support
The Concept Coding Framework (CCF) multi-modal
and multilingual support in a free standard office
suite offers a truly inclusive productive environment
for a wide range of users and needs, e.g.:
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Early literacy or second language learning
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Cognitive impairments resulting in reading and
writing difficulties and/or need for AAC
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Supporting the facilitators
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4. Target Personas – Jane, an AAC User
Jane uses a voca with a symbol display and voice
output to communicate. She'd like to use a standard
office application to create and read documents
based on her symbol communication skills.
AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels

5. Target Personas – Adam, a User with CI
Adam reads and writes some, but is limited to short and
simple texts. Graphic symbol representation – in addition to
speech – will help him interpret and type more demanding
words and text – and may also help to give him basic
access to the content of some English text .
AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels

6. Symbol Supported Writing and Reading in LO/OO Writer
Writing and reading with symbols displayed
outside text helps comprehension and spelling
No symbol insertion in text: The CCF Symbol
Server displays looked-up concepts and symbols
(ARASAAC + Bliss) as words are written, and/or
as the text cursor is moved in the text
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7. Writing with full AAC (Blissymbol) support
Writer with CCF Symbols and SAW
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8. Helpers producing symbol material
Mixed mode document – b&w symbol fonts,
as well as colour graphics insertion in text
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9. Concept Coding Options dialog
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10. The CCF Symbol Support Desktop Package
1) The CCF Symbol Server application (with its language
and symbol database resources), and
2) The CCF Symbol Support Extension for Writer
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11. CCF – the Concept Coding Framework
… what is that?
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12. CCF - Architecture
CCF CCF Assisted Technologies
(Proprietary)
Concept Code
Definitions (CCD)
WordNet CCF Bridge Assistive Bridge
Assistive
Ontology
Base Complementary
Reference Reference
Ontology (BRO) Ontology (CRO)
Assistive
Database
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13. CCF - Architecture
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14. Pilot Testers and Experts
- Feedback
Appreciated as an already fully usable and valuable
application for a wide range of users and user needs. Those
suggested by users, tutors and experts include:
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AAC symbol users, as a tool for communication, writing and
reading – typically supported by additional AT such as on-
screen symbol charts for input, and text-to-speech (TTS)
feedback
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Users with cognitive disabilities of different kinds, rendering a
need for anything from extensive to occasional graphical
symbol feedback for functional reading and writing – typically in
combination with TTS
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Temporary support in early stages of second language learning
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Mainstream use for early literacy introduction
AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels

15. Advantages and disadvantages
compared to competitive alternatives
Main listed advantages and disadvantages in relation to
existing commercial software with corresponding functionality
(e.g. the Widgit Communicate: series) include:
Advantages:
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Standard office software base with freely available extended
functionality – accessible across a wider range of socio-economic
circumstances and environments (school, home, public, private)
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Cross-platform availability (Windows, Mac OS X and Linux/Unix)
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Based on openly defined technologies and open-source software
(allowing novel integration and innovation in a longer perspective)
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16. Advantages and disadvantages
compared to competitive alternatives
Main listed advantages and disadvantages in relation to
existing commercial software with corresponding functionality
(e.g. the Widgit Communicate: series) include:
Disadvantages:
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Functionality and UI design less tailored (and tailorable) to some
special needs requirements
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Less sophisticated language technology and vocabulary support
compared to the most advanced proprietary alternatives (though
in parity to, or beyond, several other)
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Possible issues in relation to future maintenance and support
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17. Remarks on existing or missing
features of the second alpha version
General comments:
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Good progress since previous first alpha vesion
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Need for simplifications of management – e.g. installation, manual
handling of the separate CCF Server window etc.
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Saving, restoring and sharing of Open Document Text (ODT)i
documents with concept coded content and included symbol
representations.
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Limitations of the vocabulary resources, requested improvements.
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Also expressed an understanding and acceptance of limitations as
a trade-off for the advantages of the free and wide availability.
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Stressed importance of clear information about functionality and
limitations, to create realistic expectations among potential users.
AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels

18. Remarks on existing or missing
features of the second alpha version
Specific comments:
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Highly appreciated the ”out-of-text” symbol display. However, they requested
improvements in the management of the CCF Symbol Server display.
Suggested solutions included:
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The CCF server display window floating on top of all other windows – ideally with an
option to let the symbol display follow the text insertion caret in the Writer document
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The symbol display being moved into the Writer window as a floating or docked display
panel (similar to the ”Navigator” etc. panels)
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Appreciation the Ruby Annotation display of symbols over their corresponding
words. However, they regret the loss of colour in the ARASAAC
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A specific request has been:
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Option to control the background colour of the symbols, which by some evaluators was
now thought to be in a slightly too dark shade of blue-gray
AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels

19. Remarks on existing or missing
features of the second alpha version
Specific comments:
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Great with Ctrl+G keyboard shortcut to select preferred representation, but users
and experts also wanted to be able to select by pointing and clicking
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Swap the original word to a new custom one accompanying the same symbol,
e.g. replacing the word ”dog” under a dog symbol with ”Pluto”
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Specific requests for improvements of the word-concept-symbol look-up
included:
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Better priority (based on frequency and probability) for first choice among concept
alternatives
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Capability to handle two word (and potentially multi word) i.e. Suggestion of matching
concepts and symbols while typing a word (and not only after completing the
word with Space, as now)
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The obvious requests for support of more text languages and other preferred
symbol libraries
AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels

20. Conclusions and Future Plans
Based on the input from the first and second pilot tests,
and the revised user needs and requirements
specifications, a number of issues will be addressed:
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Usability and UI enhancements:
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Smoother integration of the CCF Symbol Server and the OO/LO Writer extension,
including:
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Automatic start of the CCF server, if it's not running, when called from the
extension
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CCF server symbol display window always floating on top, possibly with text
cursor/caret following, alternatively adding a symbol display panel to the
extension for presentation within the Writer window
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Selection of preferred concept-symbol representation by point and click (in
addition to the current shortcut key command)
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Easier access to the settings panel, better grouping of the settings options, and
improved design of the the toolbar panel
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21. Conclusions and Future Plans
… more issues and requests to be considered:
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Functional enhancements:
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Providing an option for the user to change text word for a symbol represented
concept
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Support for two word (possibly three word) concept-symbol look-up (e.g. “all right”
and “to go” to be joined to one concept representation)
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Possibly providing word-concept-symbol “prediction” (while typing)
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22. Further perspectives (some beyond the Writer extension
and AEGIS)
Within the scope of AEGIS:
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The CCF ontologies and databases used by the CCF Symbol Server will be
in need for continuous upgrades on several levels:
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Current resources need to be maintained in short term perspective with:
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improvements of the representational databases (in particular for ARASAAC
symbols)
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improvements of lexical support for English and Swedish with better coverage,
higher hit rate for most probable concept, support for multi-word concepts, etc.
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Additional basic support for Spanish and Dutch is underway
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A more strictly controlled and longer term re-build of the CCF ontologies as part of
the employment of the CCF technology for the AAC app for Android
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Special Access to Windows (SAW) will be upgraded to support integration
with the CCF Symbol Server
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The CCF Symbol Server is already used as an online cloud server for the
provision of vocabulary resources for the first prototype of the Android AAC
app
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23. The same open and free CCF technology applied for
AAC on the mobile device
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24. Further perspectives (some beyond the Writer extension
and AEGIS)
The longer term CCF perspectives:
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The work to integrate the CCF technology, as well as the graphic
language of Blissymbolics, as part of the ISO TC 37 multi-modal
terminology standards, has been initiated within the AEGIS project. As
this is a longer term task, it will continue far beyond the duration of the
project.
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The general maintenance of the CCF vocabulary resources is
basically a never-ending task of refinement of the support for the
current languages and representational resources, and the
subsequent addition of new ones.
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The above tasks will in turn require maintenance and further
development of the exploitation and business plans which are in
progress as part of the AEGIS work.
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25. Final conclusions
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The CCF Symbol Support Extension for OpenOffice/LibreOffice is in
preparation for its beta release in early 2012.
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This will provide a new basic level support for access to text content,
and a new and wider range of opportunities to communicate for people
with cognitive, speech and language impairments, and for those with
multiple impairments.
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Likely to be appreciated by wider groups of users in general, in
particular in connection to early literacy and second language
introduction.
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Opens up new perspectives for providing more inclusive accessible
ICT environments – for people in general, across socio-economic
conditions, and for users with more challenging needs due to a wide
range of impairing conditions.
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This will not replace the need and space for dedicated ICT products in
this area, but will serve as a complementary basic and more widely
available entry level for this kind of language support.
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AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels

26. Users in action
From Anna (tutor – in translation)
“Hi!
I've tested the OpenOffice ext with one of our
students who comes to our school here once
a week. She was so happy when she could
use her SAW on-screen-keyboard to write
with blissymbols...”
To the right, the attached first produced blissymbol and
text document “Natalie goes to a party” (variation over
Cinderella)
User at home with SAW + LO/OO Writer
AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels