Research Projects and Impact
My research connects educational inquiry with inclusive policy and practice. These examples distinguish ongoing programmes, feasibility work, and completed projects, and link to outputs where they are publicly available.
Inclusive Higher Education and Pathways to Employment
As Director of TCPID, I lead research and innovation exploring how people with intellectual disabilities can access higher education, experience meaningful learning and belonging, and progress into employment. This work brings together learners and graduates, researchers, policymakers, and business partners. Ongoing research, educational development, and evaluation inform our curriculum and practice, while TCPID’s published accounts share experiences of pathways from education into employment.
Explore TCPID’s work and published updates.
INCLUDE-ID: Collaborative Learning and National Development
TCPID leads the HEA-funded INCLUDE-ID Network, which brings research, practice, and lived experience together to support inclusive higher-education provision. Through collaborative research, guidance, practitioner workshops, and knowledge exchange, the Network supports shared learning about course development. Its work includes the 2026 report Building Inclusive Higher Education for Learners with Intellectual Disabilities.
Explore INCLUDE-ID and its activities.
Assessment Transformation and Universal Design (UD) / Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
I am Co-Principal Investigator on Trinity’s Assessment Transformation and Universal Design Programme. This developing programme connects assessment transformation with educational design that anticipates learner diversity and reduces barriers. It complements my wider scholarship on Universal Design (UD) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), including Adopting a UDL Attitude within Academia, co-authored with Mary Quirke and Patricia McCarthy.
Easy Read Bureau: Experts by Experience
TCPID’s Easy Read Bureau explores how students and graduates with intellectual disabilities can play a central role in designing and testing accessible information, while creating opportunities for inclusive employment. As an emerging Social Enterprise business, the work remains at the feasibility and business-model development stage.
Northern Ireland: Pathways to Inclusion
During 2024-2025, TCPID supported a feasibility study by Stranmillis University College (Department for the Economy) that contributed evidence about inclusive higher education for young people with intellectual disabilities in Northern Ireland. The resulting Pathways to Inclusion feasibility report provides compelling evidence for the development of pathways into, through, and beyond higher education for learners who have an intellectual disability.
Read TCPID’s account of the report launch and contribution.
HiAi SEN Feasibility
I am Co-Principal Investigator on the Enterprise Ireland-supported HiAi SEN Feasibility project. The work remains at the feasibility stage as of September 2026. Please contact me for information about this developing collaboration.
Earlier Research and Continuing Themes
22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome
My research has explored educators’ understanding of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and the experiences of pupils and families. This remains a strand of my wider interest in disability, rare disease, and educational opportunity.
Outputs and Collaboration
See my publications for research outputs, and Research Collaboration and Networks for partnerships and international researcher development.