du showcases the BabNoor app to special needs centres around the UAE

du and Flagship Projects unite to discuss the positive impact that BabNoor has on UAE special needs communities

Dubai, UAE, 20 April 2016: Coinciding with the World Autism Awareness Month, du recently organised an event to showcase the positive impact of BabNoor for the special needs community. During the event, which was held at its office on April 19, representatives from du and Flagship Projects, as well as Eman Farid – a mother of a child using BabNoor app –discussed the technical features of the app, as well as its impact on children with special needs.  The event was attended by representatives of several mainstream schools as well as special needs centers in the UAE who are keen on using the app to benefit their own students.

“As a telecommunications company, we are committed to providing connectivity for all UAE communities. The BabNoor app enables us to take this commitment beyond our scope as a telco, and not only improve communications amongst the special needs communities in the UAE, but to do it in the Arabic language. We believe that the app will revolutionise communications and have a positive impact on these communities by becoming an integral part of their lives,” said Hala Badri, Executive Vice President of Brand and Communication, du.

Shadi Alhasan, Chief Executive Officer, Flagship Projects, said: “We are very proud to offer the BabNoor App to the special needs communities around the UAE. The team at Flagship Projects worked relentlessly to ensure that our offering would have the highest levels of technology and customisation for the very best in connectivity and communication. Our hope is that the BabNoor App will reduce the feelings of isolation that these children often experience and pave the way for them to integrate successfully into mainstream life.

BabNoor is a first of its kind application specifically developed for local Arabic dialects. The content of the Babnoor app is endorsed by speech therapists, and it follows the standardised and globally accepted picture exchange communication system (PECS). The App is adaptable and can be customised to suit both institutional and personal needs based on the level of competency required. In addition, it provides the institution and the developer the option of improvising and further customising the app based on usage patterns and statistics collected, thus offering an improved product. The app supports a range of disabilities, such as autism, hearing and speech impairments, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and trauma injuries.

Eman Farid, a mother of a child using the BabNoor app had the following to say of her experiences with the application: “I have witnessed my child’s confidence grow, and nothing can make me happier. The BabNoor App has really changed our lives for the better by improving communications among the entire family. I highly recommend it for all families who want to preserve their language and culture while easing the communications with their children.”

To assist children with nonverbal autism and other disabilities, du has joined hands with Flagship Projects and three large centres for special needs in the UAE to provide iPads installed with the revolutionary BabNoor app. As part of the project, du will also train teachers and parents at these centres to ensure proper use of the app while closely monitoring each child’s communication progress resulting from the use of BabNoor.