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 now facilitates the widest possible access to the language of Blissymbolics by providing Blissymbol products under free licensing conditions for both personal and commercial use (see Licensing information). BCI provides leadership world-wide for the development of the system of Blissymbolics and to its use; primarily by persons with severe speech and physical impairments. In 2007, at the request of the Australian Semantography Trust, BCI took on the mandate to encourage and support 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. The original copyright © by C.K. Bliss 1949 was transferred to BCI (1975-1982-2010). In 2011 BCI 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 work of BCI has been supported by DART, SPSM, the Chelha and IDO foundations. With widespread government funding cutbacks in recent years, we increasingly rely on world-wide individual donor support. Please support the possibility of communication and intellectual development of non-speaking children by supporting BCI.

 

 

Board of Directors

Responsibility	Name	Citizenship
President	Rein Aksberg	Sweden
Secretary	Sally Millar	UK
	Annalu Waller	Scotland and South Africa
	Andrius Raščius	Iceland and Lithuania
	Nadia Browning	Canada
	Andrea Lee	UK
	Ariné Kuyler	South Africa
	Jenny Kimhag	Sweden
	Louisa Alberts	South Africa
	Russell Galvin	Canada
Treasurer	Elin Stark	Sweden
	Will Wade	UK
	Ruth Williams	UK
Observer	Halla Harpa Stéfansdóttir	Iceland