Alison Alborz BA(Hons), PhD
Lecturer in Complex Learning Disability Studies
Email:alison.alborz@manchester.ac.uk
Tel: 0161 275 3342
Background
Alison has worked in field of the learning disabilities for 18 years. She was initially based at the Hester Adrian Research Centre, where her work included the epidemiology of 'challenging behaviour'; the needs of informal carers; and the development of children with Down's syndrome. Between 2000 and 2005 she was based at the National Primary Care R&D Centre where her work concentrated on issues of access to mainstream healthcare for people with learning disabilities. She took up her post with the Educational Support and Inclusion teaching group at the School of Education in August 2005.
Main Research Interests
- Access to mainstream healthcare services for people with learning disabilities.
- Health education and promotion with people with learning disabilities and their carers.
- Production of accessible information for people with learning disabilities.
- Academic and life skill attainment amongst children with Down's syndrome.
- Mental health and positive behaviour support for people with learning disabilities.
Main teaching interests
- Programme director for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in profound learning disability and multi-sensory impairment.
- Development of web-based distance learning programmes.
- Life long learning for people who work with, or care for people with learning disabilities, with particular emphasis on meeting the support needs of people with complex learning disabilities.
Selected recent publications
Alborz, A. Glendinning, C. & McNally, R. (2005) Access to health care for people with learning disabilities: mapping the issues and reviewing the evidence. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy 10(3); p173-182
Alborz, A. Glendinning, C. Swallow, A. & McNally, R. (2005) Getting Healthcare. Easy read summary. Spring 2005. National Primary Care Research & Development Centre. University of Manchester.
Turner, S. & Alborz, A. (2003) Academic attainments of children with Downs syndrome: A longitudinal study. British Journal of Educational Psychology 73 563-583
Alborz. A. (2003) Transitions: Placing a son or daughter with intellectual disability and challenging behaviour in alternative residential provision. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 16(1) p75-88
Emerson, E. Kiernan, C. Alborz, A. Reeves, D. Mason, H. Swarbrick, R. Mason, L. Hatton, C. (2001) Predicting the persistence of severe self-injurious behaviour. Research in Developmental Disabilities 22(1) p67-75