OUTSIDE LOOKING IN - STUDIES OF THE COMMUNITY INTEGRATION OF PEOPLE WITH LEARNING-DISABILITIES

The paper reviews research exploring the degree of community integrati on of people with learning disabilities. In the majority of studies re viewed 'integration' is measured in terms of the activities undertaken within the community and/or the character of personal and social rela tionships. Although in much of the work the focus on these indicators of outcome is informed by the value assumptions embodied in the princi ple of normalisation, the paper begins by drawing attention to the pot entially contested nature of these assumptions. This is followed by a description and a critique of studies of community integration. The pi cture which emerges is of the apparently continued gap between being p hysically within and socially a part of the community. The paper highl ights some of the issues this raises for service provision and draws a ttention to issues of research practice.