Participation to Tranformation:Developing an active participatory research model with children with a visual impairment to promote education inclusion

This empirical study explores the development of an innovative participatory research methodology, related to Kellet's (2005a; 2005b, 2006) and Fielding's (2001b, 2004) work on 'Children-as Researchers', for conducting research with a cohort of pupils with a visual impairment (hereafter VI). Its key aim is that following the development of research skills, pupils take ownership of a collaborative project. Participants will plan, create, deliver and evaluate a resource to promote inclusive practice amongst Initial Teacher Training (ITT) students, thereby aiding the development of "self-monitoring" skills (Koenig and Holbrook, 2009, p. 217) within the pupil participants - that an individual is able to take autonomous approach to assessing his skills and access needs in an array of contexts, which could potentially resulting in self-empowerment (Davis and Watson, 2000). It also aims to improve ITT SEND training provision as pupil-participants will directly train ITT students in inclusive practice. Ofsted (2008, p. 6) recommend that ITT providers balance content between broad, generic inclusive pedagogy and scientific knowledge about particular diagnostic categories, later defined by the DfE's (2015) updated SEN Code of Practice as 4 broad areas of need. This project (pertaining to area 4 -sensory impairment), meets the latter requirment, thereby enhancing the depth of SEND ITT training for participants. A succesful model could have wider national significance for inclusive education- its design could be adapted for other cohorts of children with SEND and also has potential for use in continuing professional develpment activities for teachers.