Researching Learning Difficulties: A Guide for Practitioners

The book will help readers to critically evaluate the implications of research reports for their own practice.

The authors recognize that there are tensions, especially the difficulty of validating research on small varied populations in a wide range of schools, community, and other settings. The book will help readers to critically evaluate the implications of research reports for their own practice and will enable them to:

• Access research in learning difficulties, drawing on other disciplines
• Understand different types of research methodology and their strengths and limitations
• Examine the constraints on methodology because of the characteristics of the field
• Understand the particular issues of small-scale research and participatory research
• Explore new methodologies that are developing in the field

Research Interests

• Policy and provision for pupils with special educational needs

• Policy, provision and practice for people with learning difficulties across the age span

• Organization of inclusive and special schooling

• Early mathematical development

• Research methodologies and special populations

Penny Lacey had a background in teaching children and young people with severe, profound and complex learning difficulties before she came to the School of Education in 1991.