Running head: M5 RESERCH DESIGN

M5 Research Design Critique Report

Texas A&M University-Commerce
Hunter Clarke Somerville

M5 RESEARCH DESIGN

M5 Research Design Critique Report

The use of narrative research would be advantageous in a study conducted on how
learning disabilities affect adults in the workplace or in school. Documenting how the
person reacts in the world, how others react to them, and how they perceive themselves
could all be collected and then compared for similarities to other adults. Narratives
allow the individual to tell their story and be heard.
Ethnographic research could be used to study people living with HIV.
Ethnography would allow the researcher to document how people behave at home, with
friends, and at work or school. The researcher would be able to capture reflections of
how the disease has impacted the individual and then compare this to other individuals.
This research would help to determine the culture that has developed by people living
with HIV and any implications that may have for the future.
A case study research would be appropriate for a study of college admissions
teams and a change to the admission requirements. Colleges change their admission
requirements when census is down (less restrictive) or goes up (more restrictive).
Admissions professionals may not understand why there or changes. A case study
approach could look at why did the admissions process change or did not change if there
is a great change in applicants.
In narrative, ethnographic, and case study research, the researcher develops a
relationship with the people being observed. Case studies use narratives to conduct the
research. All three types of research are time consuming and may take months or years to
complete depending on the scope of the questions asked. Ethnographic and case studies

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focus on a particular group of individuals or population whereas narratives focus on the

individual and their story. Ethnographic studies take place in the natural setting of the
population being studied so that behaviors, documents, artifacts, and other visual
materials may be observed. Narratives and case studies may or may not take place in the
individuals natural setting. Narratives and case studies also include forming a close
relationship with the person being studied so that more intimate questions may be asked.
Ethnographic is also intimate and face to face but utilizes more observation and
interviews instead of story-telling.
The advantage to narrative research is to get a first-hand account about what
happened? Narrative research is used to collect data for education purposes. The
disadvantage of narrative research is limited to what the person wants or is willing to
share and how well they remember the details. Ethnographic research allows the
researcher to observe the individuals being studied in their natural setting. Data is
collected first hand and allows for the development of theories about the population.
Limitations to ethnographic studies are the people being studied. People may perform or
act differently when they are being observed. The data collected is left to the
researchers interpretation of that data and is therefore limited as well. Case studies are
advantageous when the researcher wants to gather information about a single group of
people. Case studies can help prove or disprove an idea about a particular group. Just
like narratives, case studies are limited to the people who are telling the stories and how
much they tell.

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4
First Article Summary

Involving People with Learning Disabilities in Research: Issues and Possibilities

The focus of this paper was to explore the challenges of researchers working with
people with learning disabilities. Gilbert (2004) sets out to explore and focus on: (1) the
ethics and philosophy of participatory research; (2) the methodologies employed at
particular points in the research process that are designed to ensure the involvement of
participants in research; and (3) building capacity in participatory research as a
precondition to the further development of this approach. (p.299). A major shift in
funding for research projects has meant that people with disabilities and learning
disabilities to be included in the research. This paper identifies that there are significant
gaps in the research that is conducted around people with disabilities. Gilbert also points
out that working with people with disabilities can be challenging because interpreting the
data and meaning of responses can be frustrating. Additionally, the term disability can be
ambiguous and skew answers and interpretations.
Summation of Research Literature
Gilbert reviewed multiple projects that evaluated adults with learning disabilities
using participatory and emancipatory research methods. He found that research methods
limited the research more than the responses of the individuals. Through his research he
found that working with individuals with learning disabilities requires time if the process
of engagement is to be attained ethically and practically. Gilbert found that previous
research techniques lead to stigmatism of the disabilities studied and resulted in
individuals being excluded from work and lead to poverty.

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Prior research made it difficult to distinguish between the types of research being
conducted. Participatory and emancipatory were used interchangeably. Interchanging
the research types lead to the research not being able to distinguish the context in which
the people were participating in the research. Were the people in control or the
researcher? Review of literature also showed that social models did not include
disabilities within their perspective. The social model does not focus on impairments and
labels disabilities as oppressions or impairments.
Gilbert stated (2004), In summary, Stalker (1998, p. 6) suggested that
participatory and emancipatory research paradigms share three core beliefs: First,
a context in which the researcher is the expert and people with disabilities are
merely the objects of study preserves an essential inequality. Secondly, people
have the right to be consulted about and involved in research that affects their
lives. Thirdly, the involvement of people with disabilities in the research process
strengthens the quality and relevance of research. This raises the question of
whether participatory and emancipatory research should be considered as
complementary. (p. 300-301).
Method for Collecting and Analyzing Data
Data for the project was collected in the narrative format. Researchers conducted
one on one interviews with people with learning disabilities. Interviews were conducted
over several sessions and gaps in the stories were filled from subsequent sessions. Openended questions were avoided and a more direct style used. Interviewers were trained to
read the body language of the interviewee and how to continue with a particular line of

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questions. Interviewers used photography in the questioning. Participants could take

pictures of their environment and then would be asked questions about those pictures.
Data was then collected and assembled into narratives. Questions that were
asked to all participants were analyzed for consistency. Triangulation of the data
reinforced the validity of the study. The final step was to look at the expectancies of the
research and report the results of the narratives.
Results and Conclusions
This project found that research needs to fully involve people with learning
disabilities. People with disabilities should not be marginalized and pushed to the side as
extraneous data or insignificant. The study of people with learning disabilities is
complex and challenging. Professionals must remain focused and specialized in their
field of research and study. Methodology should be tailored to the disability if the
disability is to be accurately understood.
Research of individuals with disabilities requires a special group of researchers
that can develop trust with the study participant. This requires time and patience as well
as experience. At the same time, as a commitment to an ethic of participation,
researchers will need flexibility and patience, as well as imagination, ingenuity and
reflexivity. A good measure of persistence would not go amiss either (Gilbert, 2004).

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7
Second Article Summary

Health Status and Health Risks of the Hidden Majority of

Adults with Intellectual Disability
Purpose of Study
Adults with intellectual disabilities are at a higher risk of health issues. The
individuals are hidden majority in terms of lack of knowledge of their health status.
These individuals are less likely to access disability services and have poorer health. This
study looked at institutional discrimination in health care systems. Emerson states (2011),
My aim in the present paper is to compare the health and exposure to risk factors
associated with poorer health among samples of adults with mild intellectual disability
who were and were not receiving support from specialized intellectual disability health
and welfare agencies.
Summation of Research Literature
Research collected found that people with intellectual disabilities either mild or
borderline are at a disadvantage and risk poor health and social exclusion. The
disabilities that are diagnosed in childhood persist into adulthood which leads these
individuals to have lower levels of health, social relationships, well-being, and
occupational stability.
Method for Collecting and Analyzing Data
Participants were selected and surveyed from private households or other type of
long term care facility. A total of 2,898 adults were analyzed. Adults that were homeless,

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incarcerated, or in other types of temporary facilities were not included in the survey.
Data was compared to the survey of Adults with Learning Difficulties in England in
2003/2004. Data was collected by face to face methods and computer aided interviews.
Questions were simplified to help maximize participation along with the use of visual
aids and question rephrasing.
Participants that could not answer nor had severe difficulty in answering were
allowed to answer by a proxy. Questions were coded when the support person answered
the questions for the participant. Individuals were divided into sub categories based on
their contact with or without specialized health services. Data was collected on
demographics such as housing, care for children, money, public assistance benefits,
employment, and personal support.

Gender, age, support level, and psychological

questions were also evaluated.

Results and Conclusions
Results showed that individuals receiving services were less likely to experience
material hardship. Individuals not receiving services were materially deprived and lived
in socially deprived neighborhoods. Individuals not receiving services also were paid less
if working, less likely to visit a dentist, or receive other health care services. Adults with
intellectual disability who do not use intellectual disability services were more likely to
smoke tobacco and less likely to access some health services and promotion activities
than were adults with intellectual disability who do use such services. In addition, they
were more likely to be exposed to some known social determinants of poorer health (e.g.,

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greater material hardship, living in more deprived neighborhoods, reduced community

and social participation) (Emerson, 2011).
References
Emerson, E. (2011). Health status and health risks of the hidden majority of adults with
intellectual. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 49(3), 155-165.
Retrieved from: https://proxy.tamuc.edu:2048/login?
url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ964763&site=eds-live

Gilbert, T. (2004). Involving people with learning disabilities in research: issues and
possibilities. Health and Social Care in the Community, 12(4), 298-308. Retrieved
from: https://proxy.tamuc.edu:2048/login?
url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=rzh&AN=2004158058&site=eds-live

EDAD 595 Module (3, 4, 5) Grading Rubric

CLAQWA (modified), Flateby & Metzger - University of South Florida
Point
s

Assignment Requirements

Addresses and develops each aspect of the assignment and goes beyond the
assignment prompt to address additional related material.

Addresses each aspect of the assignment.

Addresses the appropriate topic and partially fulfills assignment requirements.

Addresses the appropriate topic, but omits most or all of the assignment requirements.

Off topic or vaguely addresses the topic.

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10
Quality of Details

Provides details that help develop each element of the text and provide supporting
statements, evidence or examples necessary to explain or persuade effectively.

Provides details that support the elements of the text with sufficient clarity, depth and
accuracy.

Provides details that are related to the elements of the text, but do not support those
elements with sufficient clarity, depth or accuracy.

Provides details that are loosely related to the elements of the text, but are lacking
clarity, depth and accuracy.

Provides details that do not develop the elements of the text.

Quantity of Details

All points are supported by a sufficient number of details.

All points are developed, but some may need additional details.

Additional details are needed to develop some points.

Additional details are needed to develop most points.

Virtually no details are present.

Grammar and Mechanics

Sentences are grammatically and mechanically correct.

Rare grammatical and mechanical errors exist, but do not affect readability.

A limited variety of grammatical errors exist.

A variety of grammatical errors appear throughout the text possibly affecting readability.

Most sentences exhibit multiple grammatical and mechanical errors, obstructing

meaning.
Earned Point Total:

/20