For people with learning disabilities, effective communication presents a special set of challenges. By analyzing a series of real-life conversations and encounters between people with learning disabilities and those who work with them, this book provides illuminating insight into the ways people are treated in routine conversations.

About the Author. Preface. Acknowledgements. 1 Starting Points. 2 Some Building Blocks for Analysis. Part 1 Individual Voices. 3 Challenging Disempowering Patterns of Talk. 4 Supporting Someone to be Competent. 5 Opening up Conversation. 6 Equalising Talk and Friendliness. 7 Doing Autonomy: 'It's entirely up to you'. 8 Public Encounters. Part 2 Collective Voice. 9 Self-Advocacy Talk: The personal to the political. 10 Supporting People to Speak up in Group Situations. 11 Being Interviewers with the Label of 'Intellectual Disability'. 12 Behind the Scenes in Inclusive Research: 'We are the artists of our lives'. 13 Talk about Labelling and Identity. 14 Reflections on Doing Analysis. 15 Reflections on Change. Appendix Transcription Conventions. References. Index.

For people with intellectual disabilities, effective communication presents a special set of challenges. Despite moves towards ‘personalization’ in social care, large gaps exist between policy rhetoric and practice. How can we support people with intellectual disabilities on a day-to-day basis in ways that increase their power and control? What does effective participation mean in the real world? Disability and Discourse helps to bridge the actual and perceived differences that exist between people with and without intellectual disabilities. By analysing ‘real life’ encounters between people with intellectual disabilities and those who work with them, Val Williams provides illuminating insight into the subtle ways in which people are treated in routine conversations. Her original research identifies empowering practices, and reveals the ways in which individual voices are linked to a ‘collective voice’. Situations are also explored in which people with intellectual disabilities are empowered to have a voice in their own affairs, in policy-making, and in research. At once illustrating the practical value of Conversation Analysis and increasing its scope to influence practice, Disability and Discourse offers a powerful voice for people with intellectual disabilities.

‘An exciting and innovatory book, rooted in an informed awareness and concern for the interests and rights of the subjects of study, through a focused analysis of how conversation and participation is realised and maintained in everyday contexts. Carefully conceived, and fundamentally important.’ —Len Barton, Emeritus Professor of Inclusive Education, University of London, UK ‘The first book-length account of working with people with intellectual disabilities, at the fine grain of interactional detail. The distinguishing feature is the reliance not on second-hand data or observational anecdote, but on rigorous analysis of what actually happens. This ought to have immediate appeal to practitioners.’ —Charles Antaki, Professor of Language and Social Psychology, Loughborough University, UK