About BCI

Blissymbolics Communication International (BCI) is a non-profit, charitable organization that received the perpetual, worldwide, exclusive licence from C.K. Bliss (1975, 1982) for the use and publication of Blissymbols for persons with communication, language and learning difficulties. BCI is now using its copyright to provide widest possible access to Blissymbolics under licensing conditions for both free and proprietary use (see Licensing information). BCI is giving leadership world-wide to the development of the system of Blissymbolics and to its use - primarily by persons with severe speech and physical impairments. Since recent years (upon request from the last representatives of the Australian Semantography Trust) BCI also encourages wider use of Blissymbolics outside of the AAC field.

Since its incorporation in Ontario, Canada, in 1975, BCI has supported Blissymbol use through the training of professionals, assistance to Blissymbol users, consultation, publications, technology and software development, and projects related to Blissymbol applications. Some professionals associated with BCI have been working with Blissymbolics since the system's first application to children with cerebral palsy in 1971. Since 2011 BCI has moved its home base to Sweden.

Funding

Over the years, funding support has been received from many groups including the Ministry of Education, Province of Ontario; the Department of Communications (now Industry Canada), Government of Canada; The Ontario Crippled Children's Centre; The Easter Seal Society of Ontario; the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy; and charitable foundations; service clubs; private industry and private individuals. Since the move to Sweden the BCI work has been supported by DART, SPSM, the Chelha and IDO foundations. We continue to encourage funding from various sources world-wide.

BCI online

In the last dozen or so years, BCI has been striving to further enhance communication opportunities by bringing access to the internet to Bliss users.

We have gradually moved towards having most of the development and management of BCI itself being done on the internet. We hope that this new and more accessible version of our website  will increase even further the opportunities for all, eventually including  more of those who do not speak, to participate in all aspects of BCI's life and work.

Board of Directors