Welcome to the InfoSci Platform
A Picture and a Thousand Words: Visual Scaffolding for Mobile Communication in Developing Regions

A Picture and a Thousand Words: Visual Scaffolding for Mobile Communication in Developing Regions

Robert Farrell, Catalina Danis, Thomas Erickson, Jason Ellis, Jim Christensen, Mark Bailey, Wendy A. Kellogg
Copyright: © 2010 |Volume: 1 |Issue: 4 |Pages: 15
ISSN: 1947-9158|EISSN: 1947-9166|EISBN13: 9781613502853|DOI: 10.4018/jhcr.2010100105
Cite Article Cite Article

MLA

Farrell, Robert, et al. "A Picture and a Thousand Words: Visual Scaffolding for Mobile Communication in Developing Regions." IJHCR vol.1, no.4 2010: pp.81-95. http://doi.org/10.4018/jhcr.2010100105

APA

Farrell, R., Danis, C., Erickson, T., Ellis, J., Christensen, J., Bailey, M., & Kellogg, W. A. (2010). A Picture and a Thousand Words: Visual Scaffolding for Mobile Communication in Developing Regions. International Journal of Handheld Computing Research (IJHCR), 1(4), 81-95. http://doi.org/10.4018/jhcr.2010100105

Chicago

Farrell, Robert, et al. "A Picture and a Thousand Words: Visual Scaffolding for Mobile Communication in Developing Regions," International Journal of Handheld Computing Research (IJHCR) 1, no.4: 81-95. http://doi.org/10.4018/jhcr.2010100105

Export Reference

Mendeley
Favorite Full-Issue Download

Abstract

Mobile communication is a key enabler for economic, social, and political change in developing regions of the world. This paper describes IBM Picture Discussions, which is a mobile social computing application framework designed to facilitate local information sharing in regions with sparse Internet connectivity, low literacy rates, and having users with little prior experience with information technology. IBM Picture Discussions runs on today’s internet-enabled smartphones as well as camera phones with multimedia messaging. In this paper, the authors argue that engaging citizens in developing regions in information creation and information sharing leverages peoples’ existing social networks to facilitate transmission of critical information, exchange of ideas, and distributed problem solving. All of these activities can support economic development.

Request Access

You do not own this content. Please login to recommend this title to your institution's librarian or purchase it from the IGI Global bookstore.