Within Issue 105
Welcome to the Summer 2023 issue of PMLD Link Journal. Many thanks to everyone who has contributed articles. The focus of this issue is ‘Research’ and it is fitting to be able to share a wide variety of articles with you on this broad topic.
We are starting the issue off with an opinion piece. Helen Edgar shares her reflections on labels, the use of the word ‘profound’, and her experience of working with children with profound and multiple learning disabilities over many years during her teaching career. We think a focus on people is a good beginning to an issue about research – a reminder to consider how research can be applied to real lives.
In the journal, we have two ‘report back’ pieces: a summary of the IASSID PIMD special interest research group conference and a summary of research highlights relating to people with PMLD from the Nordic Network of Disability Research (NNDR) conference. Many thanks to Julia Barnes and Rosie Rushton, and Elspeth Clark for reporting back and giving us an update on current research topics along with insights into the presentations and rich discussions.
In addition to these reviews, this issue includes several articles written by some of the researchers who presented at the conferences, giving us a valuable opportunity to find out more about their work. These include: an article from researchers from The Covid-19 and people with learning disabilities study, sharing the findings in relation to people with PMLD from the latest phase of the study; Maren Hueffman’s article on Personhood at the margins of society; and Catherine de Haas’ piece on Using lived experience in research.
Elsewhere in this Issue, we have thoughtful pieces focusing on the themes of belonging and identity, engaging and communicating, personalised learning in schools, and parental perspectives of research. We also have a lovely article – and fantastic photos – from Gwyn McCormack, sharing her inclusive literacy model developed from her own evidence-based practice, ‘Marvin’s story time show’.
We hope you enjoy this Summer Issue.
It is definitely too soon to be thinking about Winter…but do have a look at the focus for our Winter journal on page 39 and let us know if you would like to contribute!
Guest Editors:
Bella Travis, Maureen Phillip, Annie Fergusson and Rachel Hughes
