Addressing Access Barriers Collectively “To share a little of each other’s world so that all might gain through a broadening of their horizons” (Grace, 2020)
- Language, Interaction, and Being
- Collective Community Change Through Core Words
- Emotional Regulation and Well-Being
- Universal/Specialist Approach: A Path Forward
- Advocating for a Broader Understanding
Did you know that some groups globally do not have access to comprehensive communication and literacy education? Historically, this group of disabled individuals was termed ‘subhuman’ and ineducable. Thankfully, the mindsets that contributed to this bleak landscape for disabled people have changed substantially.
Yet, despite major advances in social equality and human rights for people with disabilities, many are still limited by either their capacity to learn or the methods in which they are being taught. In reality, it’s a combination of both.
My son is one of these children. He is the reason I read and research, advocating for collective consciousness and community change. I share my perspective as someone who is still trying to filter the pragmatics from the complexities encountered over the years, from one specialist to the next. After much exploration, we have finally settled upon inclusion as a universal/specialist approach to adopt and embrace.
My son is someone you could consider to be a ‘sensory being.’ This term, coined by Inclusion Specialist Joanna Grace, is used to describe individuals with multiple learning disabilities in a positive light—highlighting their primary experience of the world, which is sensory (Grace, 2017). While no label or terminology can fully encapsulate the essence of who a person is, this term is sufficiently descriptive of some of his abilities and challenges, and it can support a wider understanding of how to interact with him and others like him.
The core meaning of this term for me is being. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “being” refers to the state of existing, a person or thing that exists, or the essence or nature of something. People with profound and multiple learning and physical disabilities exist and continue to live in a society that often misunderstands and mistreats them. The stories of abuse and neglect in care homes, at the most tragic end of the spectrum, are heartbreaking.
If my son is a ‘sensory being’ and I am a ‘linguistic being,’ we need to find a bridge. We must ‘share a little of each other’s world’ to both of our benefit. This helps us appreciate and celebrate each other’s essence, our humanity, our relationships, and our existence together. This brings us to core words and how they can be used collectively in the community to create that bridge.
Language, Interaction, and Being
By definition, the description ‘sensory being’ implies that language is elusive for this group of people. It highlights the delicate balance between using too much language or too little. Imagine being completely ignored on one end of the spectrum, or overwhelmed and confused by too many words and commands on the other. Where is the middle ground?
Observation, the selective use of core words, Intensive Interaction, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) can be the bridge to understanding this balance. These techniques involve using fewer words but with greater meaning—focusing on the most important, essential vocabulary that can facilitate communication and connection.
Understanding where the child is in relation to the basic (typical) phases of communication development and function can help design the core words to use. For example, non-intentional communicators may use indiscriminate body motions, crying, smiling, or vocalisations. What should you look for? How is the communication related to a sensory responsiveness to something internal or environmental? When the child cries, what do they need? When the child smiles, what makes them happy? What sounds do you hear in their vocalisations—do they vary? How is the tone? What can we adjust in the environment to respond to their initial pre-intentional communication?
Core Words Modeling: Example core words could include: “I,” “see,” “you,” “hungry,” “tired,” “happy,” “hot,” “cold,” “thirsty,” “want,” “play,” “oh no,” “better,” “more,” “help,” “stop.”
These core words can offer children like my son the opportunity to express their needs, preferences, and desires.
Collective Community Change Through Core Words
The collective use of core words across communities can make a tangible difference. It means that children like my son don’t have to rely solely on a few specialists or carers for their communication needs. Over time, this creates a web of understanding, enabling people with sensory processing differences to experience consistent, meaningful interactions across various settings. It’s not just about teaching language—it’s about fostering mutual understanding.
This shifts the dynamic from a top-down “I speak, you listen” model to a more collaborative, two-way exchange of meaning.
Emotional Regulation and Well-Being
This approach doesn’t just benefit children with sensory or communication challenges—it can be adapted to support everyone across a broad spectrum of needs. When communities adopt inclusive practices, everyone gains by broadening their understanding of how people experience the world. Children with sensory processing differences often struggle with emotional self-regulation due to the mismatch between their sensory experience and their environment. Some responses to these frustrations manifest as self-injurious behaviours or physical reactions. By incorporating timely and fewer, well-chosen words and responses, we help them process their experiences in ways that feel safe and manageable.
One concrete example is the improvement in my son’s regulation when I observe he is feeling overwhelmed. With the use of core words and signs like “calm,” “quiet,” or “break,” I can observe my own physiological change in response to the imminently stressful situation, and regulate both his and my own emotions more effectively. This emotional vocabulary isn’t just about words—it’s about co-regulation, modelling, and giving him the tools to communicate complex feelings and navigate the world with more agency and confidence.
Research has shown that using techniques like Intensive Interaction or AAC can significantly improve emotional regulation, well-being, and communication, while supporting literacy development and addressing the challenges of isolation and frustration that often accompany communication difficulties.
Universal/Specialist Approach: A Path Forward
The inclusive, universal/specialist approach we’ve adopted is about meeting children where they are, regardless of their individual challenges. For my son, this means embracing both specialised interventions (such as speech therapy or sensory integration techniques) and community-wide approaches that empower everyone—adults and children alike—to communicate more effectively.
Advocating for a Broader Understanding
I speak from a place of lived experience. As a parent advocating for my son, I experience firsthand the overwhelming range of emotions that come with being misunderstood or trapped inside a mind and body without an outlet. I know that interpreting my son’s behaviour is not just about finding a right “way.” It’s a constant journey of learning and unlearning, filtering through the complexities of the systems around us to arrive at a place where inclusion, understanding, and respect are the foundation of how we interact.
I am James' mum 