Negotiating a third space for participatory research with people with learning disabilities: an examination of boundaries and spatial practices

The focus of this paper is participatory research with and by people with learning disabilities. Drawing on presentations and discussions that took place across five funded seminars we use the concepts of space and boundaries through which to examine the development of a shared new spatial practice through creative responses to a number of challenges. We examine the boundaries that exist between participatory research and non-participatory research' participatory research with people with learning disabilities and participatory research with other groups and between different stakeholders of participatory research with people with learning disabilities. With a particular focus on participatory data analysis and participatory research with people with high support needs we identify a number of ways in boundaries are being opened. We argue that the pushing of new boundaries opens up both new and messy spaces and that both are important for the development of participatory research methods