Systems and methods for managing multimodal documents

Abstract: A multimodal document management system and method includes a context manager for managing multimodal documents. A virtual media content management system is coupled to the context manager and a physical media content management system is coupled to the context manager. The context manager is operable to issue multimodal document management instructions to the virtual media content management system and issuing instructions to the physical media content management system. The context manager instructions may relate to shredding of multimodal documents by deleting virtual media and destroying physical media. The method for managing multimodal documents may include receiving a request for the shredding of an information and content data file containing a list of virtual media and physical media relating to a multimodal document. A determination is made if the request for shred is authorized and, where said request for shred is authorized, a record of the shred request is created. Elements in the element list are grouped based on elements in the list which are managed by the same content management system. A message is sent to each content management system requesting the shredding of each element for the grouping of elements for the content management system. The content management systems may verify and report the success of the shredding.