AAC Symbol Set

A standardised collection of pictographic images used in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to represent words, phrases, or concepts. Each symbol in a set is mapped to specific vocabulary, allowing people who cannot use spoken language to construct messages by selecting sequences of symbols. Common AAC symbol sets include ARASAAC (Aragonese Portal of AAC, a free multilingual set), PCS (Picture Communication Symbols by Tobii Dynavox), Widgit Symbols, and Blissymbols. A key challenge with symbol sets is multilingual use — symbols are typically tied to words in a single language, and the same symbol may map to different word forms or phrases across languages due to differences in syntax, morphology, and cultural context.