The labouring woman needs her environment, and the people around her, to be supportive on both physical and emotional levels. The degree of hands on (or verbal support), will vary from woman to woman, and will require you to be flexible. A woman can be surrounded by people, but need none of them to actually physically do anything. This is not to say that you are not needed, but her needs may be limited to your presence and love, to motivate her to persevere. (Many partners and support people find this the most difficult to accept.)
Some women need a lot of verbal support and encouragement with little touching. Others need silence and hands on support. Often it is a combination of all these that change as the labour progresses.
As she moves into established labour, she will usually gradually withdraw into herself, and communicate less with the people around her. At this time, it becomes important to provide her with a safe and positive environment. You will need to be sensitive to her needs, and adjust your support strategies, depending on where she is in her labour, and how she is individually dealing with it. Trust your instincts, and be guided by her in providing unconditional love and care throughout her labour.