ABSTRACT
The interdependence of communication and the environment was briefly touched upon in Chapter 6, in stressing the need to assess and treat communicatively impaired individuals within their normal environment. Environmental factors will influence with whom, when and how people communicate, as well as affecting other behaviours. Powell-Lawton (1977) describes an Optimal environment’ as one in which the person’s needs are met by their physical and social environment. Attempts to maximise the level of congruence between needs and environment will affect the individual’s behaviours. This can be specifically applied to communication needs, and how the physical and social environment helps or hinders the communicative process.
