It simply means communicating with people in the best ways that are accessible to them. It means not just talking but other ways too.

Here are some other ways:

Photos
Body language
Symbols
Signs
Gestures
Music
Intensive Interaction
Touch
Objects

Total Communication is easy.

Total Communication is an approach which encourages all the above forms of communication. We are probably all using some of these, and we might think of them as an ‘added extra’ when we communicate with each other and the world around us – signing for a drink in a noisy pub, following the smell of fresh bread to a bakery, or using a drawing to give directions to where we live.

However, for some people with communication difficulties, these so called ‘additions’ to speech and the written word are a lifeline. Without these ways of communicating, the world may not make much sense.

That’s where Total Communication comes in. It means using different ways of communicating according to each situation and person. Most importantly, it depends on us making the changes to our communication and doing the work, not expecting people with communication difficulties to tune into our ways of talking.

How do I start using Total Communication?
Why is Total Communication important?