Multi-sensory story-packs offer accessible stories for those who cannot benefit from mainstream books.

They are told interactively, through actions and emotions rather than words and pictures, so they are perfect for anyone with severe learning difficulties (SLD), profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) and those on the autistic spectrum. They also work well with children who have language delay and younger mainstream children with visual impairment.

The story-packs comprise a large-print storyboard and a series of A3 page-cards. Each line of the story on the storyboard is matched with a specially selected object on the page-card, which listeners are helped to access hand-over-hand.

These objects engage the senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and motion. They are unique to their own story and are sequenced to make the story most absorbing: a smell will capture the attention, or a quiet sound will engage concentration.

The development of multi-sensory story-packs is underpinned by decades of professional experience and the latest academic research into language development and special education theory.

Take Rebecca, for example: because she cannot understand words or pictures on a page, she is deprived of many learning opportunities which come naturally to other children. But she can appreciate rhythmic, tuneful "sound phrases", sustained sensory stimulation and emotional and physical contact with her Mum. Multi-sensory stories use these to reach her.

They are told from separate page-cards, each with a sensory element: an interesting shape or texture; a sound; a movement; a smell. Each page-card can be used by Rebecca, hand-over-hand with her Mum, in a sequence devised to tempt her interest and hold her attention.

Rebecca experiences the story's emotion through her Mum's voice: is it funny, scary, exciting? Short sentences with clear acoustic information help her learn and then anticipate the phrases of sound. She can respond to them with a change of position or facial expression, a gesture, a smile or vocalisation. By acknowledging her efforts, and immediately encouraging more interaction, her Mum can show her the power of communication.

To quote the Mum of young Andrew, who now enjoys several of our story-packs at home, "It's really difficult to buy a birthday present or a Christmas present for Andrew but he just loves his [Bag Books] stories. My friend came over the other day and Andrew was desperate to tell her something and we couldn't think what it was. Then I realised that he wanted her to see his new book. When I brought it out he was beaming, absolutely delighted and really excited."

Children with profound learning disabilities need a way to communicate and "have a say" in their lives. Multi-sensory stories offer a way to practice and develop communication skills..

Below are the opening pages of two multi-sensory story-packs: Desmond for younger children, The First Day for teenagers.