Participant Information Sheet – Feedback Survey
Introduction
It is funded by UWE Bristol’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) 2022-24.
Before you decide whether to take part, it is important for you to understand why the study is being done and what it will involve.
Please read the following information carefully and if you have any queries or would like more information, please contact Dr Rob Wilks, College of Business and Law, University of the West of England, Bristol on Rob.Wilks@uwe.ac.uk.
What is the aim of the research?
This global initiative aims to co-produce insights and perspectives on the application of Deaf Legal Theory (DLT), fostering collaboration among individuals with lived experiences, practitioners, and academics.
This project seeks to establish a framework or guidance for anyone conducting research on deaf people and their community within the realm of law or legal systems.
The goal is to ensure that DLT evolves into a well-respected and robust theoretical perspective for future research.
By providing a clear framework, we aim to empower researchers to navigate the complexities of studying deaf experiences in legal contexts, fostering the growth and credibility of DLT as a valuable theoretical lens.
More information about DLT can be found here: https://www.deaflegaltheory.com/.
Why have I been invited to take part?
This survey is open to deaf individuals, whether or not you identify as a member of the deaf community, including those with varied lived experiences, practitioners working in legal fields, and academics with an interest in DLT.
We want to make sure that researchers who decide to carry out their research through a DLT lens are well informed as to what deaf people and deaf communities across the world expect of them when carrying out research about them.
Do I have to take part?
You do not have to take part in this research. It is up to you to decide whether or not you want to be involved.
If you do decide to take part, you will be given a copy of this information sheet to keep and will be asked to provide your consent in the surveys.
You can withdraw from the research without giving a reason until 31 March 2025 at which point at which your data is anonymised and can therefore no longer be traced back to you.
If you are in the process of completing the survey, you can simply exit the survey without submitting your responses.
If you have already submitted, you can email Rob.Wilks@uwe.ac.uk asking for your responses to be deleted.
Deciding not to take part or to withdrawal from the study does not have any penalty.
What will happen to me if I take part and what do I have to do?
To participate, please go to:
https://www.deaflegaltheory.com/feedback-survey/
It would be appreciated if you could complete all the questions, although you can skip any questions that you do not want to answer.
Survey Content
- Language – the survey is in International Sign and written English.
- Platform – the survey is hosted on Qualtrics (http://qualtrics.com), a survey platform, and you can choose whether to respond in International Sign or written English. If you wish to respond in International Sign, it is recommended that you use your mobile phone so that you can record your responses which are then uploaded to UWE’s OneDrive.
- Duration – the survey is estimated to take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.
- Confidentiality – your responses will be treated confidentially, and all data will be anonymised to ensure privacy.
The feedback survey will consist of five questions which you can answer after watching a video explaining the final DLT model that has been co-produced as part of this project.
Deadlines
Feedback survey Midnight on 28 February 2025 (GMT)
What are the benefits of taking part?
By sharing your experiences and opinions, you can directly influence the development of programmes, services, and policies that impact deaf people’s lives by ensuring that research relevant to the deaf community is addresses issues that truly matter and takes into account the unique perspectives of deaf people and their communities.
What are the possible risks of taking part?
We do not foresee or anticipate any significant risk to you in taking part in this study. If, however, you feel uncomfortable at any time you can exit the survey on Qualtrics at any time.
What will happen to your information?
Once the survey responses have been collated for analysis, the original responses with all personal data will be destroyed.
Up to this stage, completed surveys will be stored on Qualtrics and the results transferred to a restricted folder on UWE OneDrive that only Rob Wilks can access.
Where will the results of the survey be published?
A blog post will be written containing our research findings. This report will be translated into International Sign and will be made available on the website https://www.deaflegaltheory.com/.
We will also submit articles to appropriate journals to disseminate our findings to the academic community.
Anonymous and non-identifying direct quotes may be used for publication and presentation purposes.
Who has ethically approved this research?
The project has been reviewed and approved by the Faculty Research Ethics Committee. Any comments, questions or complaints about the ethical conduct of this study can be addressed to the Research Ethics Committee at the University of the West of England at:
What if something goes wrong?
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rob Wilks in the first instance. If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Research Ethics Committee at UWE at
What if I have more questions or do not understand something?
If you would like any further information about the research, please contact in the first instance:
Rob Wilks, Rob.Wilks@uwe.ac.uk
Thank you for agreeing to take part in this study.