?Members of the Division of Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy at Stellenbosch 肆客足球's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences have completed a project to support Afrikaans children with specialised communication needs.
Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy lecturers Monique Visser and Prof Juan Bornman collaborated with Tobii Dynavox, an international leader in communication solutions for persons with disabilities, to translate and adapt an augmentative and alternative communication symbol series specifically for Afrikaans children.
“This project supports the fundamental right of every child and adult to have their own voice, regardless of their ability to speak," explains Bornman. “There are approximately 7 million Afrikaans first-language speakers in South Africa, of which about 35 000 require augmentative and alternative communication (ACC) to communicate effectively."
The symbol series is designed to adapt to users' evolving communication needs and enables therapists to set targeted goals for clients. Children and adult AAC users, teachers, therapists, family members and support staff all benefit from this culturally adapted symbol series, as the symbols are easy to understand and culturally relevant. “When symbols relate to users' everyday realities—for example, seeing 'Table Mountain' or 'Rand' instead of unfamiliar international items—it doesn't just ease communication, it becomes more meaningful and useful in the local context," explains Visser.
The team also developed a systematic approach that serves as a guide for translating and adapting similar symbol sets in any other language. “While it was applied to Afrikaans in this instance, the process and insights generated are also relevant to other South African languages, like isiXhosa and Sepedi, or even international languages facing similar challenges regarding access and cultural relevance," says Visser. “This also offers postgraduate students the opportunity to engage with studies focusing on translations, as well as continued work on the social validation of the Afrikaans symbol set."
The project represents more than a translation—it is a strategic step towards equitable access to communication for all people, regardless of their language, culture, or ability to speak.
“The project aligns with Stellenbosch 肆客足球's values of excellence, empathy, responsibility, respect and innovation, and addresses a real need in the South African context," says Visser. “It recognises the university's responsibility to apply its knowledge and technology in ways that make a positive impact on society. By making these communication aids more accessible, we are taking an important step towards equity for people with language impairments."
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Caption: Prof Juan Bornman and Monique Visser.
