Ethnographic practices of listening

Abstract

Whilst increasing numbers of children and young people are actively engaging in research, disabled children and young people’s voices remain marginalised. There are examples of disabled children’s active participation in research studies, but traditionally their roles have been that of passive recipients and objects of enquiry. Seeking out only voices that are easy to hear and easily translatable severely limits the soundscapes of childhood. The ethnography explored here adopts a reflexive approach, using active listening skills as opposed to passive hearing and giving children with disabilities a platform from which to project their voices. This illustrates how disabled children and young people can share their experiences of using augmentative and alternative forms of communication and acknowledges that they have much to say.