The Experiences of People with Learning Disabilities who  Teach  Healthcare Students: a qualitative study

Main Article Content

Lily Baldwin
Cathy Bernal

Abstract

This resaerch aimed to find out why people with learning disabilities (LDs) choose to teach healthcare students, how this impacts them and why they may choose to return to teaching. The literature surrounding the experiences of people with LDs in teaching is scarce hence providing a need for further research into this topic.
The methodology of this research was phenomenology as it has the potential to offer unique insights into human experience. The methods of this project were individual semi-structured interviews.
Thematic analysis was conducted on the interview transcripts and identified themes such as: enjoyment of teaching, positive and negative communication experiences, helping students, personal development/gain, and remuneration for teaching.
Overall, the results demonstrated many reasons why people with LDs teach healthcare students, as well as areas they found enjoyable. Positive experiences were discussed as well as areas where the experience could be improved. The themes found demonstrate the importance of communication skills and how they can impact people with LDs, both when executed well and when improvement is needed.
To disseminate findings inclusively, an easy-read document has been created, and is included in this paper so that those involved in the study can appreciate the findings of this research and understand the importance of their involvement in this paper.

Article Details

Section
Articles

References

Amado, A. (2014) ‘Building Relationships between Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Community Members: Strategies, Art, and Policy’, Research and Practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 1(2), pp. 111-122. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/23297018.2014.941968

Bell, K., Fahmy, E. and Gordon, D. (2014) ‘Quantitative conversations: the importance of developing rapport in standardised interviewing’, Quality & Quantity, 50(1), pp. 1-20. Available at: DOI:10.1007/s11135-014-0144-2

Bottomley, M., Bradley, J., Clark, L., Collis, B., Daw Srdanovic, B., Farnsworth, V., Ferguson, A., Goodley, D., Fox, A., Hayden, N., Lawthom, C., Lawthom, R., Magwood, C., McLean, R., Middleton, I., Owen, A., Prothero, M., Rice, S., Richards, S., Runswick-Cole, K., Scargill, K., Shankar, R. and Ann Wood, T. (2024) ‘Co-producing ethics guidelines together with people with learning disabilities’, British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 52(4), pp. 611-632. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/bld.12590

Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2006) ‘Using thematic analysis in psychology’, Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(1), pp. 77-101. Available at: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Caldwell, K. (2014) ‘Dyadic interviewing: a technique valuing interdependence in interviews with individuals with intellectual disabilities’, Qualitative Research, 14(4), pp. 488-507. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1468794113490718

Coret, A., Boyd, K., Hobbs, K., Zazulak, J. and McConnel, M. (2017) ‘Patient Narratives as a Teaching Tool: A Pilot Study of First-Year Medical Students and Patient Educators Affected by Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities’, Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 30(3), pp. 317-327. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2017.139865

Dorozenko, K., Bishop, B. and Roberts, L. (2016) ‘Fumblings and faux pas: Reflections on attempting to engage in participatory research with people with an intellectual disability’, Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 41(3), pp. 197-208. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2016.1175551

Equality Act 2010, c. 2. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/21 (Accessed: 23 March 2025).

Feely, M., Iriarte, E., Adams, C., Johns, R., Magee, C., Mooney, S., Murray, A., Turley, M. and Lin Yap, M. (2022) ‘Journeys from discomfort to comfort: how do

university students experience being taught and assessed by adults with intellectual disabilities?’, Disability and Society, 37(6), pp. 993-1017. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2021.1874301

Frankena, T., Naaldenberg, J., Bekkema, N., van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Valk, H., Cardol, M. and Leusink, G. (2018) ‘An exploration of the participation of people with intellectual disabilities in research—a structured interview survey’, Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 31(5), pp. 942-947. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12453

Frawley, P. and Bigby, C. (2014) ‘“I'm in their shoes”: Experiences of peer educators in sexuality and relationship education’, Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 39(2), pp. 167-176. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2014.890701

Frawley, P., Johnson, K., Hillier, L. and Harrison, L. (2002) ‘Living Safer Sexual Lives: Research and Action’, Tizard Learning Disability Review, 7(3), pp. 4-9. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/13595474200200022

Hahn, A. and Gawronski, B. (2019) ‘Facing one’s implicit biases: From awareness to acknowledgment’. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 116(5), pp. 769–794. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000155

Haigh, A., Lee, D., Shaw, C., Hawthorne, M., Chamberlain, S., Newman, D., Clarke, Z. and Beail, N. (2012) ‘What Things Make People with a Learning Disability Happy and Satisfied with Their Lives: An Inclusive Research Project’, Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 26(1), pp. 26-33. Available: https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12012

Hauser, M.J. (2023) American Psychiatric Association. Available at: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/intellectual-disability (Accessed: 21 December 2023).

Health and Social Care Act 2022, c. 3. Available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/31/section/181 (Accessed: 24 March 2025).

Hollomotz, A. (2018) ‘Successful interviews with people with intellectual disability’, Qualitative Research, 18(2), pp. 153-170. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/14687941177138

Kerry, E., Collett, N. and Gunn, J. (2023) ‘The impact of expert by experience involvement in teaching in a DClinPsych programme; for trainees and experts by experience’, Health Expectations, 26(5), pp. 2098-2108. Available at: 10.1111/hex.13817

James, M., Porter, J., Kattel, S., Prokopiv, V. and Hopwood, P. (2022) ‘Peer Educators in the Facilitation of Sexuality and Respectful Relationship Education for People with an Intellectual Disability: A Scoping Review and Narrative Synthesis’, Sexuality and Disability, 40(1), pp. 487-502.

Kakilla, C. (2021) ‘Strengths and Weaknesses of Semi-Structured Interviews in Qualitative Research: A Critical Essay’, Accounting and Taxation. Available at: DOI:10.20944/preprints202106.0491.v1

Liu, C., Tang, K., Wang, Y. and Chiu, C. (2022) ‘Impacts of early clinical exposure on undergraduate student professionalism—a qualitative study’, BMC Medical Education, 22(435), pp. 1-9. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03505-5

McFarland, B., Bryant, L., Wark, S. and Morales-Boyce, T. (2023) ‘Adaptive interviewing for the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in qualitative research’, Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 37(1), pp. 1-10. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13182

Mencap (2023) Consent is important. Available at: https://www.mencap.org.uk/blog/consent-important#:~:text=Having%20the%20right%20to%20have%20your%20consent%20and%20your%20voice,we%20are%20trying%20to%20say. (Accessed: 20 March 2024).

Mencap (2025a) Learning disabilities explained. Available at: https://www.mencap.org.uk/learning-disability-explained (Accessed: 18 February 2025).

Mencap (2025b) Easy Read. Available at: https://www.mencap.org.uk/easy-read (Accessed: 12 February 2025).

NHS (2024) Health and Care Passports. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/health-and-care-passports/ (Accessed: 16 February 2025).

NHS (2025a) The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. Available at: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/learning-disability/current-projects/oliver-mcgowan-mandatory-training-learning-disability-autism (Accessed: 23 March 2025).

NHS (2025b) Accessible Information Standard – Implementation Guidance. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/accessible-information-standard-implementation-guidance/ (Accessed: 7 August 2025).

O’Donovan, R. and McAuliffe, E. (2020) ‘A systematic review exploring the content and outcomes of interventions to improve psychological safety, speaking up and voice behaviour’, BMC Health Services Research, 101, pp. 1-11. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-4931-2

People First (2023) Self-advocacy and speaking up. Available at: https://www.peoplefirstltd.com/pages/Self-advocacy-and-speaking-up (Accessed: 20 March 2024).

Riches, T., O’Brien, P. and The CDS Inclusive Research Network (2020) ‘Can we publish inclusive research inclusively? Researchers with intellectual disabilities interview authors of inclusive studies’, British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48(4), pp. 272-280. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/bld.12324

Taqvi, K. (2025) ‘What are the experiences and motivating factors for people with learning disabilities when teaching healthcare students: a qualitative study with focus groups’. Assignment for K24KMMS6101, BMBS, Kent and Medway Medical School. Unpublished.

Tuffrey-Wijne, I. and Butler, G. (2010) ‘Co-researching with people with learning disabilities: an experience of involvement in qualitative data analysis’, Heath Expectations, 13(2), pp. 174-184. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1369-7625.2009.00576.x

Videmšek, P. and Fox, J. (2017) ‘Exploring the value of involving experts-by-experience in social work research: experiences from Slovenia and the UK’, European Journal of Social Work, 21(4), pp. 498-508. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2017.1292220

Wilson, N., Jaques, H., Johnson, A. and Brotherton, M. (2016) ‘From Social Exclusion to Supported Inclusion: Adults with Intellectual Disability Discuss Their Lived Experiences of a Structured Social Group’, Journal of Applied research in Intellectual Disabilities, 30(5), pp. 847-858. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12275