Abstract

The paper explores the development of languages (or communication systems) that support individuals in improving their quality of life. Such languages help create and recreate social collectives. A case study of Research and Capacity building with disabled and disadvantaged people in Lincolnshire (UK) is used to illustrate the issue. The original project's assumption was fairly traditional: to frst identify the needs of target groups and next to satisfy these needs (training, forum type interaction, etc). The notion of needs was quickly shown to
be quite restricted and even too problematic. Firstly, needs often change faster than the tools intended to meet them. Secondly access to such tools tends to be prevented by the very way communication with the service providers that present them is designed. An alternative approach developed in the project has been to support people in developing social collectives that are able to act as strong actors in the wider community and hence also in relation to service providers.