Smithsonian Institution continues innovative work with young people with learning difficulties

Helen Graham (University Research Fellow in Tangible and Intangible Heritage) will return to the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. this August to continue her long standing research relationship with the Smithsonian Accessibility Program and Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access. Helen started collaborating with the Smithsonian through a Museum Practice Fellowship in 2010-11 where she worked with self-advocates and families with young people with learning disabilities to explore intellectual access to museums through a project titled ‘Museums for Us’. 'Museums for Us' contributed to the development of an ongoing summer camp ‘All Access Digital Arts Camp’. Building on a report based on the camp's first year in 2011, Helen will collaborate with students, staff, parents and volunteers to research the 2013 All Access Camp and to understand how the young people’s engagement fits within their school, family and community networks. Helen will also be working with Smithsonian staff to identify how the learning generated through the research might influence the Smithsonian’s wider approaches to intellectual access.