Our Story
Our Story
We are driven by the belief that communication and education are the key to unlocking human potential. Our mission is to bridge communication barriers fostering meaningful connections for all, while ensuring that every child feels seen, valued, and included in their journey.
Empowering Education Through Visual Supports
At Smarty Symbols we celebrate the extraordinary journey of empowering education through the power of visual supports. As an organization driven by a profound mission, we stand committed to fostering inclusive learning environments, breaking barriers, and inspiring the minds of tomorrow.
Our story is rooted in the recognition of the significance of visual supports in education and communication. It’s a tale of how one woman on a mission to make educational images more inclusive became: a comprehensive library of over 60,000 symbols, each carefully crafted to represent diversity and inclusivity, an user-friendly designer, and a library with over 10,000 ready made educational resources.
Not Sure What Visual Support Are? Check out this video:
As we walk you through our story, you'll witness the profound impact of our mission-driven approach, the inspiring success stories from educators and therapists, and the power of collaboration that fuels our continuous growth.
Our Core Values
Representation
Visualizing Inclusivity, Empowering Every Voice.
Innovation
Breaking Free from Clunky & Outdated.
Quality
Elevating Special Education Software Standards
At the core of our mission is the commitment to empowering individuals, especially those with diverse abilities, to thrive in inclusive learning environments. Together, we will explore the boundless possibilities that emerge when Representation, Innovation, and Quality converge to redefine the world of visual supports.
Founding Vision
Empowering Education through Innovation and Inclusivity
It all started with one woman and the need for representation and modernization in educational images
In the bustling world of education technology, there stands a remarkable visionary, Barbara Fernandes, whose passion for inclusion and innovation has redefined the landscape of visual supports. This is the story of how Barbara’s journey as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) led her to create Smarty Symbols, a revolutionary platform dedicated to empowering educators and students through diverse and engaging visual resources.
Barbara’s story begins in 2009 when she founded Smarty Ears, a pioneering venture in educational app development. Armed with a desire to create a real impact in the lives of her students and beyond, she released over sixty successful educational apps on the App Store. This early success fueled her passion for making learning accessible, engaging, and inclusive for all.
However, as Barbara continued to innovate through Smarty Ears, she noticed a critical gap in the world of visual supports. Existing symbol sets lacked diversity, often depicting white male stick figures and failing to represent the rich tapestry of humanity. Barbara knew she had to challenge this status quo and pave the way for change.
Driven by her passion and guided by her background in photography, Barbara founded Smarty Symbols in 2014. Armed with a talented team of illustrators, she set out on a mission to create a symbol library that celebrated individuality and inclusion. Her innovative “Character of Choice” feature was born – a groundbreaking concept that allowed users to personalize visual supports with characters representing various skin tones and diverse backgrounds.
Creating thousands of symbols is no small feat, but Barbara’s dedication and unwavering commitment propelled her forward. Over the years, Smarty Symbols evolved into a comprehensive, web-based platform, offering a vast library of over 30,000 symbols and empowering educators, SLPs, and families worldwide to effortlessly create personalized visual support materials.
Barbara’s vision went beyond technology; it extended into the realm of representation. By introducing diverse characters to Smarty Symbols, she challenged the industry to embrace inclusivity and celebrate the beauty of diversity. Her trailblazing efforts not only transformed Smarty Symbols but also inspired competitors to follow suit, sparking a movement towards more inclusive visual resources.
Beyond the technology and innovation, Barbara’s proudest achievement lies in the real impact Smarty Symbols has on children’s lives. In 2022, Barbara spearheaded a national movement to make public spaces more inclusive through the addition of communication boards. To date, Barbara has led a team that has made over 200 spaces national wide more inclusive in one year. From communication boards to AAC devices, her platform fosters meaningful connections and empowers every learner to reach their full potential.
Today, as the heart and soul of Smarty Symbols, Barbara continues to lead the charge towards an inclusive future in education and communities. Her remarkable journey, coupled with her passion for empowerment and change, has not only shaped a remarkable platform but also inspired countless educators and learners worldwide.
As we embark on this transformative journey with Smarty Symbols, we invite you to join us in celebrating Barbara’s legacy – a legacy built on innovation, representation, and the unwavering belief that education should embrace every individual’s unique potential.
-Barbara Fernandes, Founder of Smarty Symbols
Evolution and Growth
From Digital Library to Web-Based Platform
Smarty Symbols Studio
As the demand for visual supports soared, Smarty Symbols evolved from a digital library into a robust web-based platform. The introduction of the Smarty Symbols Studio, equipped with a powerful activity designer, marked a transformative milestone. Educators, speech therapists, families and special education professionals now had access to over 30,000 symbols and more than 10,000 ready-made activities, all designed to streamline the creation of personalized visual materials. The symbols library was now powering the most user-friendly technology for creating custom learning materials.
Raising the Standard
Smarty Symbols began with a mission to revolutionize diversity in visual supports. Our “character of choice” feature challenged the lack of representation in existing symbol sets. We created characters that went beyond skin tone, embracing the richness of humanity.
While competitors took steps to include diversity, none could match the level of inclusivity that Smarty Symbols was built upon. Our library now boasts an impressive collection of over 30,000 symbols, each thoughtfully crafted to cater to the needs of an ever-changing world. Our commitment to evolving with the times and staying at the forefront of innovation has kept Smarty Symbols as the go-to platform for inclusive visual supports.
As we reflect on our growth and achievements, we are humbled to have contributed to the transformation of the AAC industry. Our driving force remains the belief that diversity and representation matter, and we are proud to continue setting new standards and inspiring others in our field.
Smarty Symbols raised the bar for diversity, transforming the AAC industry. We continue to set new standards, inspiring others in our field.
Making Spaces More Inclusive
In 2022, Barbara’s visionary pursuit of breaking communication barriers took a significant stride forward with the expansion of Smarty Symbols initiatives, streamlining the process for creating inclusive spaces.
Smarty Symbols introduced a series of purposeful communication boards designed specifically for public spaces, including city and school playgrounds. By working closely with organizations, Smarty Symbols ensures that each board is tailor-made to cater to the unique needs of the environment it serves.
Driven by a mission to foster inclusivity and accessibility for individuals of all abilities, Smarty Symbols has redefined the landscape of communication board design, customization, and implementation in public settings. Our extensive library of over 35,000 symbols empowers parks and recreation facilities to create highly personalized communication boards that resonate with the distinct characteristics and preferences of their communities. Through collaborative efforts, our team integrates relevant visuals, core vocabulary, and location-based icons to craft communication boards that go beyond playgrounds, reaching spaces such as waterparks, museums, clinics, nurse’s offices, classrooms, and virtually any public area.
Committed to continuous improvement and innovation, Smarty Symbols remains at the forefront of emerging technologies and trends in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Leveraging the power of QR codes, bilingual boards, and digital integration, we enhance the accessibility and usability of our communication boards, amplifying their impact on fostering communication and social interaction.
By joining forces with Smarty Symbols, parks and recreation facilities can create truly inclusive environments that promote communication, social engagement, and active participation for individuals of all ages and abilities. Together, we embark on a journey to transform public spaces into warm and welcoming communities, where everyone can communicate, connect, and thrive.
In just a little over a year, Smarty Symbols has achieved remarkable milestones, successfully designing and shipping hundreds of communication boards, fueling our passion and commitment to driving positive change and making communication accessible for all.
Empowering Educators, Enriching Students
Partnerships and Industry Impact
Smarty Symbols’ mission-driven approach and commitment to innovation soon caught the attention of educators, clinicians, and entrepreneurs in the field. As the library of symbols grew, it found its way into a myriad of products and platforms.
Some of Our Partners
Technology Partners and AAC
Smarty Symbols has become a driving force behind a wide array of technologies, supporting various educational platforms and applications. From our inception, we envisioned a future where our symbol library would empower and enhance diverse technologies, fostering inclusive learning experiences for students across the globe. Here are some of the remarkable technologies that Smarty Symbols powers:
AAC Bestie was designed with children, parents, SLPs & caretakers in mind. The app features a simple user interface, pre-saved keyboard for speakers of different levels & over 20,000+ symbols to choose from for creating new buttons if desired.
Expressive is a transformative Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app designed to help both children and adults overcome communication barriers. We are proud to support Expressive by supplying over 14,000 images from our extensive Smarty Symbols library.
This application is consistent with motor learning principles, uses a word-based vocabulary of the most frequently used words in communication, and contains features important in developing automaticity and language.
Custom Boards Elite is a dynamic, subscription-based app meticulously designed to empower teachers, speech therapists, special educators, and parents with a comprehensive solution for creating bespoke communication and learning materials.
We designed Quick Type as an affordable, easy-to-use alternative to many of the typical Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps and devices currently available. It has been designed for those who with cerebral palsy, apraxia, down syndrome, autism, Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) and any other condition which causes an individual to be low or non-verbal.
Our Team
Meet a Few of Smarty Symbols Faces
Currently serving as a Special Education Professor at Arizona State University, Heather leverages her extensive knowledge to educate and inspire aspiring special education teachers. Her dedication to fostering a more inclusive and hospitable environment for individuals with autism and other disabilities is unparalleled.
Looking Ahead
As we reflect on our progress and the impact we’ve made, we still need your Support. Here is why:
Embracing Diversity in AAC Symbol Options
We acknowledge that established players in the market, have a long-standing presence, and their symbols have been widely integrated into various AAC software. However, we believe that true progress comes from embracing diversity and providing AAC users with a wide range of symbol options that reflect the modern world. Despite our efforts, we have faced challenges in getting our symbols integrated into some AAC software manufacturers, which can create an unequal playing field in the AAC industry. But let us be clear: This isn’t about undermining the work of others or engaging in a competition for dominance. Instead, it is a call for a level playing field, where all symbol sets, including ours, have an equal opportunity to be considered and embraced. We firmly believe that users should have access to diverse and representative symbol options, allowing them to express themselves more authentically and comfortably. Together, let us build a future where AAC users can choose from a myriad of symbols that truly reflect their identities and aspirations, and where every symbol set, no matter the origin, is given an equal opportunity to shine.
Expanding Symbol Library:
We are committed to continually enriching our symbol library with even more diverse and inclusive images. Our goal is to represent an ever-widening spectrum of cultures, abilities, and backgrounds, ensuring that every student can find visual supports that resonate with their unique experiences.
Expanding Impact: Supporting All Students Through Visual Supports
Looking ahead, Smarty Symbols is committed to expanding our reach and making a broader impact across school districts. Our vision is to empower not only special education teachers but also general education educators with the power of visual supports. We firmly believe that visual aids can enhance the learning experience for all students, regardless of their individual needs or abilities.
By advocating for the inclusion of Smarty Symbols Studio in general education classrooms, we aim to reduce the workload on special education personnel and foster a more inclusive learning environment for all students. When general education teachers have access to our extensive symbol library and user-friendly designer tool, they can effortlessly create personalized visual materials to support their diverse classrooms.
