Reimagining Voice in Education with Talking Mats
The right to communicate – and the reality gap
Communication is a fundamental human right. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) recognises that every person must be supported to express their views – and to have those views taken seriously¹. Yet in many contexts, this remains more an aspiration than a reality, particularly for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
As Bengt Lindqvist, former UN Special Rapporteur on Disability, put it:
“The rights of persons with disabilities are well established in international law. The problem is not the absence of rights – it is the difficulty governments face in knowing how to implement them in practice”. ²
Schools are one of the many important settings where this challenge – and opportunity – plays out daily.
A communication tool designed for inclusion
Talking Mats was developed to support people with communication difficulties to express their views more clearly and confidently. It is a low-tech, evidence-based framework that uses a textured mat and symbol cards to help individuals organise their thoughts around specific topics. People can place symbols along a visual scale – such as “like,” “unsure,” or “don’t like” – which reduces cognitive demands and supports structured expression.
While the visual framework provides a strong foundation, additional verbal explanations and reflections are also naturally encouraged if the person wishes to elaborate. The approach supports communication in multiple ways, offering flexibility while keeping the individual’s choices central.
Research shows what’s possible
Innovative and progressive research has shown just how powerful this approach can be. A study by Gore et al. (2021)³ explored how Talking Mats could be used to support children with IDD to identify their own goals and support needs. Nine children aged 4 to 15, all with at least a two-word receptive language ability, participated in video-recorded sessions using the tool. The findings revealed unique and deeply personal insights that may otherwise have been missed.
Children reflected thoughtfully on behaviours that adults often labelled as “challenging,” offering their own perspectives on the meaning and context of these behaviours. They also provided valuable reflections on the support they received from parents – identifying what they found helpful and what felt unhelpful. This kind of insight is rare in traditional consultation methods and highlights how Talking Mats can empower children to communicate about complex, personal experiences in ways that feel authentic and manageable.
Embedding rights into PBS practice
Talking Mats can strengthen every stage of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS):
– Setting meaningful personal goals
– Gaining first-hand insight into behaviours of concern
– Designing support strategies and environments that genuinely reflect the person’s preferences and needs
Talking Mats is more than a communication aid – it is a practical, research-informed way to bring rights-based values to life. By creating the conditions for children’s voices to be heard and acted upon, Talking Mats helps move inclusion from aspiration to everyday reality.
1. United Nations. (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
Available at: https://www.un.org/disabilities/documents/convention/convoptprot-e.pdf
2. Lindqvist, B. (1997). Monitoring the Implementation of the Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities: Report of the Special Rapporteur on Disability to the Commission for Social Development (E/CN.5/1997/4). United Nations.
3. Gore, N. J., McGill, P., & Hastings, R. P. (2021). Personalised goals for positive behavioural support: Engaging directly with children who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 30, 375–387.
