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This paper describes and reflects upon the first author’s journey from teacher to researcher, working with deafblind children and young people, and the research teams’ development of person-centred research methods. Historically deafblind people, particularly children and young people, have rarely been included in participation action research, in part, due to perceived challenges around communication and access. This paper outlines work being undertaken as part of a PhD project that aims to improve academic and social outcomes for deafblind children and young people. It also outlines a novel methodological focus on accommodating the unique communication and access requirements for deafblind young people, to effectively facilitate engagement in participation action research, and ensure research methods are centred on them, using both established and novel research techniques. Progress to date is outlined, describing the reflexive approach used to collaborate with deafblind young people, to inform our practice, and meet the needs of deafblind children and young people. Based on our learning, we provide wider recommendations to make participation action research more accessible for participants with deaf blindness or sensory difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Vision in people with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) is reported to be different from people without ASC, but the neural level at which the differences begin to occur is not yet known. Here we examine two variants of a vernier acuity task to determine if differences are evident in early visual processing. Findings Abutting and separated vernier acuity was assessed in 16 people with ASC and 14 matched controls. In controls, abutting and separated thresholds were unrelated (r = 0.13, p = 0.65), suggesting thresholds are determined by two separate mechanisms. In contrast, the abutting and separated thresholds of ASC observers were strongly correlated (r = 0.88, p < 0.0001), with separated thresholds tending towards being superior to those of controls [t(28) = −2.46, p = 0.02]. Conclusions The findings suggest the mechanisms employed by ASC observers in separated vernier tasks are different to those of controls. This psychophysical evidence suggests that visual differences in ASC may begin at an early cortical stage of visual processing.

Background: Golf is a moderate‐intensity physical activity that provides positive physical and mental health benefits. However, the inclusiveness of the sport for individuals with disabilities globally is unknown. Objective: To characterize the demographics and disability characteristics of individuals engaging in disability golf globally. It was hypothesized that the majority of participants would be middle‐aged, male, and from countries with higher gross domestic product, similar to the nondisabled population. Design: Descriptive, cross‐sectional analysis using European Disability Golf Association (EDGA) database. Setting Various international golf tournaments. Participants: Golfers (n = 1734) with disability from 44 countries registered with the EDGA (2017–2021). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcomes Descriptive analyses of frequencies, distributions, and means differences of demographic characteristics (age, gender, type of disability, level of handicap, golf cart use, and country of origin) of golfers with disability were performed. Data provided analysis of the association between number of participants and a country's gross domestic product (GDP). Results: Individuals had a mean age of 52.5 (±15.6) years: 1589 (91.6%) male and 145 (8.4%) female. Twenty‐three countries had female participation. The most commonly reported primary disability diagnoses were neurologic (24.8%), orthopedic (21.4%), and amputation below the knee (14.4%). Neurologic impairments (24.7%) were most common in men and orthopedic impairments (29.7%) were most common in women. Individuals with neurological impairments (27.4%) most frequently required golf carts to play. The GDP of a country had a positive correlation (r = 0.68) with the number of registered golfers with disability. Conclusion: Golf is played by individuals with a variety of disabilities and provides numerous benefits. However, there is an underrepresentation of youth, women, and individuals with certain impairments and from lower‐income countries. These are the potential areas of opportunity to improve engagement and inclusiveness of golf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]