Many people are in need of alternative or complementary means of communication. People with cognitive disabilities make up one group who have problems understanding language. The use of digital personal photographs is a fairly new alternative method of communicating and the advantages are many. A photograph is easy to understand, stimulates speech, supports memory, works as documentation of the past and is naturally interesting.

This master's thesis tries to give as complete a picture as possible of the use of digital personal photographs and to connect today's use with the future design of computer-based communication aids. The importance of picture, camera and computer accessibility is emphasised, as well as the need to consider the whole context in all design work.