Having a Voice: Involving People with Learning Difficulties in Research

This article summarises a symposium presented at the 1993 BILD conference by researchers based at the Norah Fry Research Centre, University of Bristol. The linking theme of the several contributions to the symposium was the need to involve people with learning difficulties in research. The article argues that a traditional model of research, in which detached observers set the agenda and present the results to their funders and academic colleagues, should not be seen as the only acceptable approach to research. This article advocates involving people with learning difficulties at every stage of the research process. The article then describes several pieces of work, carried out by or with the support of staff at Norah Fry, which illustrate the Centre's attempts to put this principle into practice. It is argued that the end result is better research, which is of more direct benefit to people with learning difficulties.