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Abstract
A two part demographic survey was conducted to establish basic data on the size and characteristics of the nonspeaking population in Victoria, Australia. This paper presents results from the first part of the survey. The results showed that two-thirds of these people lived in the Melbourne metropolitan area. Most people with severe communication impairments lived at home, although a significant proportion of the population lived in residential training centers. A number of disabilities, both congenital and acquired, were associated with a severe communication impairment, and were often accompanied by an intellectual disability. Daily activities for this population included educational programs, hospital programs, and limited employment options. Future surveys are needed to monitor the changing profile of this population with particular emphasis on those people with acquired disabilities in hospital settings.
