Gill Rutherford

Neighbourhood environments are increasingly being recognised as settings within which people experience well- or ill-being. However, Autistic people are seldom considered in wellbeing research, which often centres on neurotypical experiences of places. Autistic people's encounters within places, and the effects of these encounters on their wellbeing, are therefore under-researched and under-theorised. This paper considers how a relational conceptualisation of wellbeing, in conjunction with an intersectional understanding of Autistic identities, might bring together insights from critical autism studies and geographies of wellbeing to map out the relationship between autism, place, and wellbeing. Recognising that neuro-normative social landscapes often disable Autistic individuals, we argue for a relational and intersectional approach to understanding and enhancing Autistic wellbeing. We advocate for designing inclusive spaces that actively support the wellbeing of Autistic people, highlighting the vital role we, as geographers, can play in transforming socio-spatial structures to address diverse needs and foster a more equitable environment for everyone.

Demographic and social characteristics of underrepresented groups are often poorly described in pharmacy case-based learning, leading to poor representation of these groups in the pharmacy curriculum. This research project aimed to understand the lived experience of underrepresented groups with pharmacy services and to use this to inform the development of pharmacy case-based student learning materials. This was a single centre, grounded theory, qualitative study. Focus groups were undertaken with six underrepresented groups: Māori, Pacific, Asian, LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual), disability, and refugee. These focus groups were conducted in Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand from July to August 2022. Focus group sessions were recorded and analysed to identify beliefs, ideas, and themes shared between participants and groups. Participants in all focus groups had a strong desire to be seen and represented in pharmacy cases, however this was conditional on the learning being delivered in a way that upholds their beliefs, values, and voices. From these lived experiences, cultural, environmental, personal, and social factors were identified as being critical for inclusion in pharmacy case-based learning materials. The lived experience of underrepresented populations provides critical insights that will enhance pharmacy case-based learning. The key factors that could be included in case-based learning are: ethnicity, personal beliefs, language, disability, gender identity, sexual identity, and family. To achieve health equity and improve cultural awareness and intelligence of our future pharmacy workforce, these experiences need to become more present in curricula.

The compulsory education of students who have complex learning characteristics has received little attention in New Zealand research literature. This paper explores the positive educational experiences of a student who transferred from one high school to another in the same city, which resulted in him 'actually learning'. Using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) methodology, qualitative interviews and focus groups were held with educators and the student's mother, and time was spent with the student. Thematic analysis revealed the significance of communication/relationships, values and flexible teaching and learning practices. The analysis also revealed that educators' beliefs included relational understandings of disability and a presumption of competence, while their practice evidenced elements of inclusive pedagogy.

The unjust schooling experiences of many disabled students is the impetus for this conceptual paper, which investigates the complexity involved in developing future teachers' knowledge and commitment to putting into practice disability rights-related provisions. The paper focuses on the components of Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) (United Nations 2006. United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Accessed March 1, 2020. https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRPD/Pages/ConventionRightsPersonsWithDisabilities.aspx#24 ) that relate specifically to teacher education programmes. The concepts of dysconciousness (King 1991. "Dysconscious Racism: Ideology, Identity, and the Miseducation of Teachers." Journal of Negro Education 60 (2): 133-146) and dysconscious ableism (Lalvani et al. 2015. "Teacher Education, Exclusion and the Implicit Ideology of Separate but Equal: An Invitation to a Dialogue." Education, Citizenship, and Social Justice 10 (2): 168-183) are explored to facilitate theoretical understanding of possible reasons for injustices, including the marginalisation of many disabled students within/without the education system. Discussion then focuses on relevant research and practical strategies that may support student teachers to narrow the distance between theoretical understandings of Article 24 and its implementation in their teaching practice. In closing, the notion of dysconscious ableism is revisited in relation to its impact on teacher educators' own thinking and practice. In order to do justice to Article 24 within teacher education, and in turn, to disabled students in schools, much is possible, and we as teacher educators, alongside our student teachers, have much to (un)learn.

In this article, Gill Rutherford seeks to understand, from the perspectives of teacher aides, the influence of their work on the school experiences of New Zealand students with disabilities. Rutherford contributes to a growing body of international research regarding the role of teacher aides that documents the complex and ambiguous nature of their work. Ironically, given the injustice of assigning unqualified teacher aides to students whose learning support requirements (through no fault of their own) often challenge teachers, the findings of the study suggest that aides may contribute to the development of a more just education by virtue of their relationships with students with disabilities. Teacher aides’ knowing and caring about students in terms of their humanity and competence resulted in their recognizing and addressing injustices experienced by students. In acting on students’ behalf, in “doing right by” each student, these aides enabled students to enact their formal right to education. The study findings, interpreted within a framework of relational social justice, add another dimension to what has already been documented in research literature about the paradoxical nature of teacher aides’ work.