Re: Montreal Summit

[Cesar Mauri <cesar crea-si com>]

Hi Meg,

> > > > > Thinking in people with language and communication disorders
> > > > >
> > > > > (i.e. people not able to read/write due to cognitive/mental
> > > > > disorders), it would be interesting to have a IM client able
> > > > > to compose, send and display messages made up pictograms +
> > > > > text. So, messages would look like this:
> > > > >
> > > > > http://1.bp.blogspot.com/___h4z60kN9fAk/TBnOIM61kUI/__AAAAAAAAAQ8/TM0fBXcTvyA/s1600/__cumplea%C3%B1os.png
> > > > >
> > > > > Also, it would be useful to add TTS support in order to hear
> > > > > messages written in plain text (which could be also useful for
> > > > > blind people).
> > > > >
> > > > > There had been some efforts in that way:
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.fundmaresme.com/messengervisual/
> > > >
> > > > I will bring this up with the IM developers when they meet, and tell
> > > > them that it was your suggestion. It sounds like a very
> > > > promising idea to me, and if there is interest, I will be
> > > > willing to help with it, as well. It could also be a useful
> > > > tool for Sugar to have, so that children who are learning to
> > > > read could communicate easily.
> > > I spoke to one of the developers of Telepathy about this, and
> > > here is what he said:
> > >
> > > Currently Telepathy does not support this type of feature. For
> > > example, users cannot send emoticons that they have drawn
> > > themselves. Therefore, you would need to write a library for
> > > this. If you are willing to write a library, they would be
> > > happy to have this feature.
> > >
> > > Secondly, they recommend that you write a seperate app for this
> > > feature, but use the Empathy contact list. They recommend that
> > > the feature be accessed through the accessibility menu.
> > >
> > > Lastly, if you would like to discuss this, please contact the
> > > developers on the mailing list:
>>> telepathy lists freedesktop org
> > > .
> > >
> > > I hope that this is helpful. Please let me know if you have
> > > any questions, and if you do begin work on this, I will be
> > > happy to be of assistance if I can
> > >
> > > Sincerely, Meg Ford
> >
> >
> > Thanks for this feedback and for your assistance offer, but now
> > we're not in the position to start a new development front.
> > Anyway I'll contact the developers mailing list to, a least,
> > leave the request and ask whether the backends support this
> > feature.
>
> Yes, the backends do not currently support it, they only support
> sending named icons. Please contact them though. Best, Meg

OK. But do all protocols (or some of them) support this feature? 
Otherwise, it would be pointless to try the effort.

> Something else that you may like to look at is the
> FreeIconToSpeech
> wiki<http://wiki.laptop.org/go/FreeIconToSpeech>.
> They had an alpha release but it looks like development stopped at
> that point. You may find that there are members of the OLPC/Sugar
> community who are interested in the type of project you are
> discussing.

Very interesting. The need for a Augmentative Alternative Communication 
(AAC) software is also crucial for people with communication disorders 
and an excellent complement for the project described above (i.e. ACC 
software would work as the "keyboard"). We have been already discussing 
this topic with members of GNOME a11y (in CC). Perhaps there is a chance 
to join efforts...

Regards,
César