The course 'Inclusive Education' at the University of Vienna (UV) serves as a microcosm of national and international discourses. Policies such as the UN-CRPD run counter to established school systems and the latest developments in federal and state legislation. Against this backdrop, a small-scale study has been conducted to (a) examine the…

Background: Inclusive research has sidelined discussion of theoretical issues with researchers with intellectual/learning disabilities. This is a situation which the Big Ideas initiative sought to change. Between 2021 and 2023, the Open University, Leipzig University and the University of Koblenz organised nine workshops to explore influential…

Background: Negative attitudes remain a major barrier to the equality of people with disability, especially when coupled with the lack of autonomy imposed on many people. This paper analyses how disability self-advocacy groups seek to change community attitudes and work towards systemic change by mobilising knowledge from their lived experience.…

In South Africa most children with physical disabilities, including cerebral palsy, are still excluded from mainstream education. The purpose of this paper is to focus on a few successes and hear the voices of students themselves in exploring factors that "facilitated" their successful completion of mainstream schooling in Cape Town.…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-advocacy practice for inclusion of blind students in the University of Gondar. A case study design with qualitative inquiry approach was used. In-depth interview guide which was developed out of comprehensive review of literature was used as data gathering instrument. The in-depth interview…

Child participation currently holds a high profile within the field of educational psychology and has been the subject of increasing interest and research. The aim of this paper is to consider the potential merit in orienting the focus beyond participation in planning and decision-making and towards self-advocacy. Self-advocacy is an essential…

Classroom engagement can be problematic for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH), but is essential to ensure that they can reach their best educational and postschool outcomes. This study used semi-structured interviews to explore the self-perceived barriers and facilitators to classroom engagement for 16 DHH students educated in…

According to the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities [UN 2006. Accessed May 7, 2016. https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html], full participation should be premised for everyone with a disability. However, the concept of 'full participation' is…

The International Summit on Intellectual Disability and Dementia covered a range of issues related to dementia and intellectual disability, including the dearth of personal reflections of persons with intellectual disability affected by dementia. This article reflects on this deficiency and explores some of the personal perspectives gleaned from…

Background: Stigma attached to having an intellectual disability has negative implications for the social identities and inclusion of people with intellectual disability. Aim: The study explored the effects of membership of independent self-advocacy groups on the social identity of people with intellectual disability. Method: Using a…

The college experience in Iceland has traditionally been reserved for those who have passed the matriculation examination and meet the admission requirements of higher educational institutions. Since 2007, the University of Iceland has offered a Vocational Diploma Programme for people with intellectual disabilities in inclusive settings. The…

This study focused on parent-initiated supported living schemes in the South of the Netherlands and the ability of these living schemes to enhance participation, choice, autonomy and self-advocacy for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities through personalized planning, support and care. Based on in-depth interviews with tenants,…

Background: Despite good policy intentions, people with intellectual disability continue to be socially excluded. Social geographers suggest the potential of self-authored spaces as catalysts for social inclusion. One such space, self-advocacy, is commonly perceived as part of a political movement for social change rather than a vehicle for social…

Background: This paper tells the story of Central England People First's (CEPF) History Project. Method: This was an inclusive research project, owned and controlled by members of CEPF which sought to chart its 21-year history, 1990-2012. Results: It illustrates both the strengths of such a project and some of the challenges. Conclusion: It…

Background: Funding bodies in Australia and the United Kingdom require research on issues that affect the lives of people with intellectual disability to be inclusive. Debate continues about the nature and benefits of inclusive research, which has become an umbrella term encompassing a broad spectrum of approaches. Method: This study proposes one…