Neither consenting nor protesting: an ethical analysis of a man with autism

This article critically examines the 25 June 1998 decision by the House of Lords regarding the psychiatric admission of a man with autism.(1) Mr L was able neither to consent to, nor refuse, that admission and the disposition of his case illuminates the current debate regarding best interests of vulnerable adults by the judiciary and the psychiatric profession. This article begins with the assumption that hospitalisation was not the optimum response to Mr L's condition, provides alternative approaches to the interpretation of best interest and examines principles of liberty, anti-discrimination, and equal protection. Key Words: Informal admission • autism • discriminatio

Disability matters in medical law

The British Parliament stated that health services would be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (the act). However, when people with disabilities are at their most vulnerable, for example when in hospital or subject to medical procedures, the antidiscrimination law fails them. A review of cases indicates that when people with disabilities are subject to medical treatment, the legislative protections are allowed to vanish. Instead, medical decisions are justified on obscure notions such as "best interests", often with irreversible or even terminal results. This article examines the relevant provisions and limitations of the act, the features of notable non-treatment decisions, and the act's potential to guide future decision making. It argues that antidiscrimination legislation should be assertively applied to protect vulnerable people. Key Words: Disability • learning disability • persistent vegetative state • discrimination • human right

Designing an Authentic Professional Development cMOOC

While there has been a lot of hype surrounding the potential of MOOCs to transform access to education, the reality of completion rates and participant profiles has tempered this hype such that within the hype cycle MOOCs have already hit the trough of disillusionment. However we argue that embedding cMOOC design within an educational design research methodology can enable the design of authentic professional development model that can indeed demonstrate transformation in pedagogical practice. Our design model links mobile learning theory, practice, and critical reflection within an EDR methodology to create an authentic experience for participating lecturers