Software designed for cognitively young individuals (12-30 months) relies on picture representations and contrived selection techniques such as scanning and stepping. Review of available software and accompanying documentation reveals that a number of assumptions appear to have been made regarding the cognitive/motor abilities of children. These assumptions fall into two general categories-cognitive development and specific cognitive skills required for picture recognition. This paper reviews the normal developmental literature related to these two areas and draws conclusions concerning appropriate presentation in designing software for a cognitively young population.
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