Du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), and Flagship Projects said they have extended their BabNoor app partnership for three more years, during a recent visit to Emirates Autism Centre in Abu Dhabi.

As part of the renewal of their commitment to the UAE’s disabled communities, the companies have also enabled the app for iPhone use and it can now be downloaded via Apple’s global App Store.

Providing a voice for the voiceless, BabNoor is the first cloud-based tablet application of its kind in the region. The revolutionary app enables easy and effective communication for children with a range of disabilities, such as autism, hearing and speech impairments, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and trauma injuries.

Abdulwahed Juma, executive vice president of Brand and Communication, du, said: “The success of the BabNoor app reiterates our commitment towards ensuring the UAE’s special needs communities are catered for. As a telecommunications provider, we feel it is imperative that we continue to empower all citizens and residents of the UAE with the ability to actively and effectively communicate. BabNoor has proven to be a revolutionary resource for communities and we are thrilled to enable access for even more people now thanks to our renewed partnership with Flagship Projects.”

The BabNoor app was previously only available to individuals and organizations in the UAE that had partnered with du, but the revised partnership will mean children worldwide will have access to BabNoor’s well-renowned features. With BabNoor now available on the App Store, more parents and schools can help their children by using the app.

Noora Al Mansoori, director Corporate Communications, du, said: “Technology is a powerful enabler for society, which is why we are proud to be supporting the next chapter for BabNoor and its evolvement into a real and effective resource for changing thousands of lives across the UAE. This ground-breaking app opens new doors for children of determination and delivers them the opportunity to thrive through the gift of education and unabridged learning.”

When BabNoor first began, 390 iPads preconfigured with BabNoor application licenses were distributed to major centres across UAE, such as the Zayed Higher Organization (ZHO), Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS), Dubai Autism Centre and the Emirates Autism Centre.

Shadi Al Hasan, CEO of Flagship Projects, said: “At Flagship Projects, we have worked tirelessly to deliver a revolutionary app to enrich the lives of disabled communities across the UAE. In partnership with du, we are thrilled to continue delivering the highest levels of technology and customisation for the very best in connectivity and communication. With BabNoor, we hope that children of the UAE will feel more valued and an integral part of society.”

The positive impacts made in this initial phase inspired du to extend BabNoor’s reach to more schools and centres across all Emirates of the UAE. This involved the distribution of 2000 licenses from du and 200 licenses from Flagship Projects distributed to children and teachers in 28 special needs centres across the UAE.

Dr. Amal Galal Sabry, director, Emirates Autism Center, said: “With the introduction of BabNoor to our students, this revolutionary Arabic assistive communication app has helped revolutionize how they interact with the world around them. This has unlocked a new medium for alternative and assistive channels of communication while remaining in line with Arabic culture, traditions and standards.”

Developed by Flagship Projects, BabNoor’s features include an Arabic interface and vocabulary, cloud-based libraries of content and picture cards, localised cards and local dialects, ability to create and personalise additional cards by the user, and constant updates based on monitored case studies.

BabNoor enables easy and effective communication using international communication standards for people with special communication needs through pre-defined cards that form sentences, while also providing children the ability to create additional personalised content and cards. – TradeArabia News Service