Interrogating inclusion with youths who use augmentative and alternative communication

Area of Science:

• Disability Studies
• Sociology of Health
• Communication Sciences

Background:

• Social inclusion is a key goal for disabled youth services.
• Youths with communication impairments often experience limited social participation.
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) use presents unique challenges to inclusion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how Canadian youths using AAC understand and navigate discourses of social inclusion.
• To analyze the lived experiences of disabled youth within existing inclusion frameworks.
• To apply Bourdieu's theory of practice to understand accommodation and resistance.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study combining visual methods and in-depth interviews.
• Involved 13 Canadian youths who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
• Utilized Bourdieu's theory of practice to interpret findings.

Main Results:

• Participants' narratives indicated a 'habitus' leading to accommodation of devalued social positions.
• Certain inclusion practices enacted symbolic violence, with youths internalizing dominant norms.
• Youths also created localized forms of inclusion, challenging the status quo at the margins.

Conclusions:

• Systemic shifts are needed beyond superficial inclusion.
• Fostering social spaces that value diverse ways of being is crucial.
• Addressing symbolic violence in inclusion practices is essential for genuine social equity.