Login (DCU Staff Only)
Login (DCU Staff Only)

DORAS | DCU Research Repository

Explore open access research and scholarly works from DCU

Advanced Search

A disrupted life: A study of young people who experience Traumatic Brain Injury in higher education in the republic of Ireland.

Shiels, Teresa, Kenny, Neil orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-2340-6586 and Mannix-McNamara, Patricia orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-3011-0177 (2024) A disrupted life: A study of young people who experience Traumatic Brain Injury in higher education in the republic of Ireland. In: A Disrupted Life: A Study of Young People Who Experience Traumatic Brain Injury in Higher Education in the Republic of Ireland. International Perspectives on Inclusive Education, 23 . Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, UK, pp. 127-137. ISBN 978-1-83797-720-8

Abstract
The United National Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) emphasises the need for those with disabilities to be guaranteed full access to participation in society (United Nations, 2006). This rights-based approach in higher education foregrounds the importance of removing practical and attitudinal barriers within how institutions, or staff, interact with students with traumatic brain injury (TBI) that facilitate their access. This chapter summarises the key findings of my PhD thesis where I use my unique positioning as a TBI survivor and status as a PhD student to gain deeper understanding of the experience of access for neurodiverse students in higher education. I contend that we can be marginalised in these settings. In this chapter, I argue for the importance of student voice in decision and policymaking processes in higher education, aligning with ‘nothing about us, without us’ (Charlton, 2000). A blended methodology of autoethnography and phenomenology was used in my scholarship, which meant listening to the perspectives of students with TBI who often navigate the educational environment differently. Loss, change of identity and care are significant factors in shaping experiences. This research has much to offer as it uses the researcher's and participant's voices to transform rather than maintain the status quo regarding access for students with TBI. Inclusive education must place flexibility and diversity at its core and consider the person when putting academic programmes and support in place.
Metadata
Item Type:Book Section
Refereed:Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:Traumatic Brain Injury, Student Voice, Transformative theory and learning, Attitudes and disclosure, Care, Trauma informed practices
Subjects:Social Sciences > Education
DCU Faculties and Centres:DCU Faculties and Schools > Institute of Education
DCU Faculties and Schools > Institute of Education > School of Inclusive & Special Education
DCU Faculties and Schools
Publisher:Emerald Publishing Limited
Official URL:https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.110...
Copyright Information:Copyright © 2024 Teresa Shiels, Neil Kenny and Patricia Mannix McNamara. Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited
ID Code:30987
Deposited On:23 Apr 2025 11:01 by Carroll Keoghan . Last Modified 23 Apr 2025 11:01
Documents

Full text available as:

[thumbnail of 1. Chapter 2 A Disrupted.pdf]
Preview
PDF - Requires a PDF viewer such as GSview, Xpdf or Adobe Acrobat Reader
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
400kB
Metrics

Altmetric Badge

Dimensions Badge

Downloads

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

Archive Staff Only: edit this record