Let's Talk about Sex: Using Drama as a Research Tool to Find Out the Views and Experiences of Young People with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

Goodley and Moore (2002) report many benefits for people with learning disabilities when they use drama to express their views and feelings. This article reports on the 'work in progress' of an innovative, three-year emancipatory research study that is using drama as a research tool to find out the views of young people with learning disabilities around sex and relationships. It describes the background to the project and the methodology used. It explores some of the difficulties experienced in the project and the lessons learnt by the research team. It emphasises the need for collaborative working within drama-based research and the importance of giving people with learning disabilities a 'voice' in the research process.