Smarty Symbols has always been at the forefront of innovation in visual communication. In 2015, we took a major leap forward with our novel concept: A single symbol represented by diverse characters. It’s a question we’ve always pondered: Why, for so long, did communication symbols restrict us to just one character option? The answer might be that the world hadn’t yet been introduced to Smarty Symbols!

Imagine the empowerment a young female AAC user would feel seeing multiple symbols represented by characters that reflect her identity. Likewise, a young African-American boy can now find a symbol that portrays a character resembling him. This breakthrough goes beyond just age and race. Over the years, there’s been much debate over symbols that looked “childlike” versus those that appeared “adult-like”. Smarty Symbols has put that debate to rest. We now provide a diverse range of options, from child to adult to elderly characters, solidifying our position as the most adaptable symbol set available.

Picture this: A young female AAC user can have several symbols using a character that is female and young, also a young African-American boy can have a young African American character! Pretty neat, right? We asked ourselves, why nobody thought of this before. For year, the issue of “ child looking” versus “ adult looking” symbols have been debated. Some people argued that the symbol set A was better for adults, while symbol set B was better for children. Now, Smarty Symbols also offers options for adult and elderly character choices, making Smarty Symbols the most versatile symbol set on the market.

When Smarty Symbols made its debut in 2011, we radically changed the visual communication landscape by introducing an array of characters in our symbol set. Despite this breadth of representation, there wasn’t a choice in character for individual symbols. To illustrate: The symbol for “eating” showcased a Caucasian male, “jumping” had a young female character, and “sleeping” featured an elderly African American figure.

Now, in 2015, we’ve expanded choices particularly for verbs, pronouns, and core vocabulary words. These, we believe, are the pivotal symbols that necessitate diverse representation.

Explore the multifaceted symbols already accessible in our library. Experience the inclusivity and diversity that Smarty Symbols brings to visual communication.