In this thought-provoking book, Jan Walmsley and Kelley Johnson discuss participative approaches to research and provide an up-to-date account of inclusive practice with individuals with learning disabilities. Drawing on evidence from two major studies, they explain how lessons learnt from inclusive research in the learning disability field are applicable to others working with marginalized groups. The authors examine the origins and the process of inclusive research, describing:

* how and why it takes place

* who carries it out

* who funds it

* how it is designed

* how it relates to policy and practice.

They look at the challenges inherent in this work, such as balancing the voice of the researcher with that of disabled participants and clarifying roles within research projects, and explore how it can become more inclusive and empowering. Providing valuable information and advice to researchers, policy makers and students as well as other health and social care professionals, this book presents a comprehensive examination of participative research in social care.

Jan Walmsley is a Senior Lecturer at the Open University School of Health and Social Welfare in Milton Keynes. Kelley Johnson is Professor of Disability, Policy and Practice at the University of Bristol, and Director of the Norah Fry Research Centre and together with Rannveig Traustadottir, edited Women with Intellectual Disabilities for Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Introduction: Reputable? Helpful?and Inclusive? Part 1. Describing the Past. 1. Of Shoes and Ships and Sealing Wax and Inclusive Research: Or Where Did It All Start? 2. Normalizing, Emancipating and Making a Stand. 3. Inclusive Research in Learning Disability: Beginnings. 4. Knowing the Elephant. Part 2. Exploring the Research Process. 5. Nothing About Us Without Us: Good Times Bad Times. 6. Living Safer Sexual Lives: Making Research Work. 7. What Matters to People with Learning Disabilities? 8. Managing Inclusive Research. 9. Who Uses it and How? 10. What Has Been Achieved. Part 3. Beyond Rhetoric to New Realities. 11. Beyond Rhetoric... 12. ...To New Realities. 13. Conclusion: Why Do It? References. Subject Index. Author Index.