The Noisy Public Landscape and Ges’s Communication Strategy

Understanding the social model of disability and mattering in public spaces helps us see how ordinary interactions can become disabling. When Ges (“Jess”) navigates public spaces like building lobbies, grocery stores, or recreation centres, his vocalizations compete with the clatter of business and hurried conversations. He considers himself a speaker, even though all his words are unintelligible to strangers. His garbled speech often causes listeners to ask, “What did you say?”

In those moments, Ges presses a small button on his smartphone, and a brief, synthesized phrase from his voice output software speaks for him. The assistive technology cue isn’t a fallback for silence; it’s a supplement activated only when others miss his spoken words. His way of communicating is different. His phone’s voice output software doesn’t replace his speech but helps when others (including me!) don’t understand him.

Ironically, using this technology can make his voice seem inadequate, harming his sense of mattering. Though clear, his synthetic words often face impatience, as if the problem isn’t in the medium but in him.

Mattering = Noticeability + Valuation

Gordon Flett describes mattering as the intersection of noticeability (being seen or heard) and valuation (being regarded as worthy of attention). Ges’s loud efforts guarantee the first pillar when people inevitably notice him. What happens next determines whether the interaction affirms or negates his sense of mattering. If he receives an impatient reaction, perhaps a quick sigh, eye roll, or a brusque “What?”, this tells him that his voice has been heard, but isn’t valued. Even the brief, artificial prompt meant to close the gap can be met with the same impatience, reinforcing the idea that his presence doesn’t matter.

Impatience Reveals Societal Assumptions About Speech

The listener’s impatience reveals an underlying assumption: communication must conform to a socially accepted standard of clarity and speed. Anything else is treated as a nuisance, a disruption, to the flow of the day. What Ges does is unexpected. Ges’s experience offers a vivid illustration of the social model of disability, showing how “disability” is not solely a function of an individual’s impairments but is actively produced by the attitudes and reactions of others. My son’s impairments mean he speaks differently, but he doesn’t become disabled until environments drown him out, and others disregard his manner of communicating.

The Social Model of Disability in Ges’s Experience

Ges’s story shows how strangers in public spaces can supply the first pillar of noticeability, while simultaneously denying the second of being valued, thereby turning his communicative difference into a disabling barrier.

From the perspective of the social model, disability emerges when societal structures and attitudes fail to accommodate human diversity. Ges’s garbled speech is an impairment, but it becomes disabling because the environment of noisy public spaces, time-pressed strangers, and normative expectations of speech offers no accommodation. The lack of valuation transforms a manageable communication difference into a barrier that limits his participation, heightens anxiety, and fuels withdrawal.

What Can We Do? Applying the Social Model of Disability and Mattering in Public Spaces

Four young students huddle over an iPad on the schoolyard, absorbed in what’s being said, providing a glimpse of how technology can create inclusive, mattering moments in public spaces.

To shift the narrative from “disability created by the individual” to “disability constructed by society,” we must address both pillars of mattering:

Enhancing Valuation

• Active Listening Training – Simple workplace or community workshops can teach people to pause, give space, and respond respectfully, even when comprehension is delayed.
• Normalization of Assistive Tech – Treating synthesized speech as a legitimate part of conversation, rather than a novelty, signals that the speaker’s contribution is valued regardless of the delivery method.

Reducing Disability

• Acoustic Adjustments – Reducing background noise in lobbies and stores (e.g., softer flooring, strategic placement of speakers) creates a calmer auditory landscape where diverse speech patterns are easier to process.
• Visual Cues – Providing optional visual displays of spoken text can bridge gaps without forcing the speaker to rely solely on auditory channels. Ges frequently does this by turning his phone to the listener so they can read what was said.

Moving Beyond Noticeability to Mattering and True Inclusion

When the rest of us adopt these practices, we move beyond mere noticeability and begin to affirm Ges’s presence. The result is a public sphere where his voice, whether garbled, synthesized, or both, is recognized as a meaningful contribution rather than something weird and unexpected.