Ann-Marie Houghton

Transition Experiences of Disabled Young People.

This paper outlines the changing employment climate and shift in attitudes towards disabled people who are expected to become economically active in order to fulfil their role as responsible citizens. We briefly describe the employment profile of disabled people and reiterate the combination of factors identified in shaping progression into the workforce. We provide a summary of two research projects, the Disability Effective Inclusive Policies (DEIP) funded by European Social Fund with a clear connection to EU equity and employability agenda, and the Lancashire Aimhigher Disability (LAD) project designed to support the government’s aim of widening participation. We discuss aspects of the transition process, drawing explicitly on interviews with disabled people, policy makers and practitioners involved in developing or implementing policy and providing support services designed to aid the transition process. We conclude that there is a continuing need for a focus on the concept of transition in policy and practice.

Nurturing Social Capital in Excluded Communities:A Kind of Higher Education

This text presents action research findings on two contemporary issues: how to create an accessible and relevant higher education for adults, and how to document the wider social and non-economic benefits of learning amongst people who do not contribute directly to the nations wealth creation through waged work. The book starts from the premise that full employment in the conventional sense is unlikely to be a future reality. The book argues that for some adult learners, their contribution to globalized systems must stem from individuals having a strong sense of self stemming from a local identity. This means education must recognize different and multiple identities, communities and cultures by strengthening social capital from the grass roots. Higher learning must equip people for the inevitable influences and demands of globalization in a modern, changing world.

Implementing disability policy in teaching and learning contexts – shop floor constructivism or street level bureaucracy?

ABSTRACT Since 1995 the UK higher education sector has been required to implement national disability related legislation. This paper reports on a study which explored the role that policies play in influencing how staff support disabled students. In particular the extent to which staff in HE behave in similar ways to those described as street level bureaucrats by (Lipsky, M. 1980. Street-Level Bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the Individual in Public Services. New York: Russell Sage Foundation). Semi-structured interviews undertaken with 34 staff in the case study university provided the substantive data. Although there was little evidence to show that policy had a direct influence on practice, it was clear that staff made considerable efforts to support disabled learners and these efforts were based on values associated with providing an equitable experience for all students. Additionally, staff were able to exercise discretion in the way they responded to disabled students and constructed responses to policies without significant influence from institutional managers, national legislation or broader policy discourse.

Accessing and assessing appropriate widening participation data: an exploration of how data are used and by whom

ABSTRACT When attempting to use data to inform practice and policy, the availability, accuracy and relevance of that data are paramount. This article maps the range of users interested in data relating to the UK1 widening participation (WP) agenda. It explores some challenges associated with identifying, defining, obtaining and using data to inform decisions about targeting and monitoring WP initiatives associated with student access, achievement and progression. It considers the pragmatic and strategic response by different users of institutional WP data within the UK. We use examples from previous institutional and commissioned WP research and evaluations undertaken over the past decade to illustrate some of the tensions concerning the access and assessment of WP data. We argue that whilst the increasing interest in WP participation data and evaluative feedback is commendable, attempts to establish a causal link between WP activity and changes in student awareness, aspiration, access and achievement are not straightforward. The diversity of producers, uses and users of WP data working in different sectors and institutions produces many challenges. The paper concludes with suggestions on ways data could be improved.