Issue 11 - Summer Edition 2020

From the editor

Welcome to this bumper edition of the Journal and a big thank you to all the contributors for managing to share their work despite all the challenges we have been facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dara Ryder, AHEAD’s CEO shares his immediate challenges with us and in this edition, you will find a wide range of articles related to disability, inclusion and further and higher education. Congratulations to Jennifer Lynch on receiving the John Kelly Award, not only has she received her stylish award but she has also found time to share her innovative work with us all.

I am particularly pleased to bring you two pieces about the inclusion of learners with intellectual disabilities in higher education from Mary-Ann O’Donovan in Ireland and Katrien Hermans and Elke Emmers in Flanders, Belgium.

Approaching group work can be worrying for students with Autism and Sharron Sturgess explores support in working with peers. Many of the articles in this Journal include research with students on their experiences and this really moves the agenda forward. Of course COVID is well represented and I hope you will find you are not alone with the challenges it has brought us, moving conferences, changing teaching methods and supporting Deaf students online.

Employment opportunities and improving national policies on student mobility also give us hope that we will be working together whatever our new ‘normal’.

We will be tweeting about the Journal, do join us on twitter with your views and experiences #AHEADJournal.

Stay well, enjoy the summer staycation!

Barbara Waters

Editor