The following 3 research proposal seminars, in order of date and time, are happening at Flinders University.
These are not only for academics and interest is welcomed from professionals working in the disability field.
RSVP to Peggy.Kincaid@flinders.edu.au
Seminar 1 – Honours Research Proposal
Time: Midday – 1pm, Friday 29/4/2011
Venue: Room S254, Sturt South Wing, enter via Room S250
Presenter: Felicity Brown, Honours Candidate, Bachelor of Disability & Community Rehabilitation.
Title: Evaluation of Real Lives Real Places Demonstration Project Case Study: The Impact of Person Centred Thinking Approaches on the lives of people living with intellectual disability
Summary: In recent years Australia has seen the introduction of person centred thinking approaches across the disability sector. Minda, a large not for profit organisation that provides accommodation and support services to people with intellectual disabilities, has recently begun a journey of change to move the organisation from a traditional support approach known as a “hotel model”, to a more contemporary approach of person centred thinking and active support within a human rights framework. This change is happening through the Real Lives, Real Places Program currently underway at Minda. In order to implement the person centred thinking approaches across the organisation it is critical that Minda trials them through a Demonstration Project to evaluate the impact of introducing them on the lives of the people living with an intellectual disability supported in the homes. Felicity Brown a student of the Bachelor of Disability and Community Rehabilitation will be involved in this evaluation as her honours project. The outcomes of the research evaluating the demonstration project will influence the overall implementation of person centred thinking approaches across the rest of the organisation.
Seminar 2 – MSc Research Proposal
Time: 1pm – 2pm, Friday 29/4/2011
Venue: Room W406C, Sturt West Wing
Presenter: Fiona Redgrove, MSc Candidate
Title: Between Love and Duty: An exploration of discourses of adulthood and autonomy as they apply to young people with intellectual disabilities
Within many Western legal and cultural frameworks parents are assumed to hold jurisdiction over their children until a nominated age, such as age eighteen or twenty-one, at which time children may assume the mantle of adulthood, with its legal entitlement to exercise autonomy. However, when children have intellectual disabilities, and are perceived to have limited capacity, and equally limited potential to exercise such autonomy safely, the perception of the transition from child to independent adult may be less clearly discernible. The research around the experiences of families of people with intellectual disabilities as they transition out of school and into adult services is replete with references to the stress that is experienced during this time. This dilemma of when, or even if young people with intellectual disabilities can ethically, morally and legally assume the mantle of autonomous adulthood is the subject of this research proposal.
Seminar 3 – MSc Research Proposal
Time: Midday – 1pm, Monday May 2nd, 2011
Venue: Room N318, Sturt North Wing
Title: Gone to the Dogs: An investigation into the world of the guide dog handler. The impact that guide dog ownership has on the lives of people who are Blind or Vision Impaired
Presenter: Geraldine Lane, MSc Candidate, Disability & Community Inclusion, Flinders Clinical Effectiveness, School of Medicine
Summary: Few studies have explored the ‘real benefits’ of guide dog ownership, including the potential health, psychological and psychosocial benefits that having a faithful guide can bring for the person who is blind or vision impaired. This study will therefore examine the world of the guide dog owner; it will investigate as to whether people who are blind or vision impaired who own a service dog, will receive more frequent social interaction with other people when their dog is present. It will explore the behaviours reported by those people as to whether these encounters are more positive than when the handler does not have their dog present. It will look at the boost to confidence that a guide dog can bring to their handler as a result of, freer mobility, more positive reactions from the people they meet, (for example, friendly glances, smiles, and conversations). The research will further investigate the perceived health benefits encountered as a result of guide dog ownership, including a lessening of social isolation, reduction in blood pressure and increase in general fitness and health, to name but a few.
