multimodalitats

Multimodalitats, in Catalan, refers to multimodality—the use and study of multiple semiotic modes in communication and representation. The concept encompasses how text, images, sound, gesture, layout, and other resources combine to convey meaning beyond any single channel. It is applied across linguistics, media studies, education, design, and human–computer interaction.

In practice, multimodal artifacts integrate several modalities: textual and visual elements, audio narration, video, interactive components, tactile or haptic interfaces, and spatial arrangement. Such combinations can clarify information, provide redundancy for accessibility, and engage diverse audiences. Accessibility considerations often require captions, transcripts, alt text, and keyboard navigation.

In education and communication, multimodality supports learning, persuasion, and user experience by distributing meaning across channels. In research, analytic frameworks such as social semiotics, Kress and van Leeuwen, Jewitt, and O'Halloran help scholars describe how modes interact.

Applications include multimedia textbooks, websites and apps, news and documentary storytelling, museum exhibits, and data visualizations. Designers balance coherence and contrast, align modalities to a common message, and consider cognitive load and cultural differences. The field continues to evolve with digital technologies and increasingly pervasive multimodal interfaces.