Dr Alison Wilde

Independent Scholar Fellow 2022

Media, Communications and People with Learning Disabilities and Autism – Lessons from the Pandemic

The intention of the proposed research is to use inclusive methods to seek understandings that people with learning disabilities and/or autism have gained during the COVID 19 pandemic, focusing on their understandings of media, health-related communications and network information, (e.g. from family / carers / friends/ social care agencies).

More information

Research outcomes

Macdonald, S. J., & Wilde, A. (2025).

Exploring the effectiveness of media in communicating public health messages to people with learning disabilities during the pandemic. Disability & Society, 40(5), 1176-1194.

Wilde, A. (2022).

Media, communications, and people with learning disabilities and autism: lessons from the pandemic. Independent Social Research Foundation Bulletin, (26). https://issuu.com/isrf/docs/bulletin_26_full_digital_

Areas of interest

Communication Disability Disability Studies Social Justice Activism Visual Arts Digital Media Gender Parenting Social Care Public Health Film Comedy

Cohort

ISF8

Biography

Alison Wilde has taught and researched at several universities, and has a strong interest in culture, communications, and disability. She often conducts research on disability, and has worked on a range of social justice issues in activist, academic, and other roles. Alison has written mainly on topics of screen media, disability, gender and audiences, in addition to researching and publishing on disability and educational inclusion, parenting, gender, social and health care. She co-founded both the MeCCSA Disability Studies Network, and the BSA’s Disability Studies Group and occasionally contributes to Disability Arts Online. Her first book on comedy, film and disability was published in 2018.

Biographical details correct as of 29.08.25