Sarah Donald has a background in SEND teaching and is now a research fellow with interests in disability, inclusion, and participatory research methods. Her work focuses on improving research accessibility for autistic individuals with complex support needs and reducing the gap between research and practice in education and health services. She is particularly interested in community-led approaches that ensure research has practical and academic utility.
Sarah completed her PhD at City St George’s, University of London, where she innovatively applied Experience-Based Co-Design (EBCD) to create accessible research tools for autistic people with complex support needs. Her research experience includes scoping reviews, adapting psychometric assessments, ethnographic methods, and co-production methods. She has presented her work extensively for both academic and non-academic audiences.
Sarah has led co-produced projects exploring community engagement with racially and ethnically minoritized groups and is currently working with schools and colleges across the country to evaluate their use of sensory spaces to support autistic learners. As a qualified teacher, she brings over a decade of experience in schools and local authorities to her research, with a professional background specializing in autism education, English as an Additional Language (EAL), and inclusive curriculum development.
Alongside her research, Sarah has extensive experience in higher education teaching. She has worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at City St George’s, supporting undergraduate modules in psychology and autism, and mentoring first-generation university students through summer research internships. Previously, she was a Lecturer in Education at North-East Surrey College of Technology, where she led the BA Education Studies and taught across PGCE and Foundation Degree courses. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes inclusive practices and bridging theory with real-world application.
Passionate about collaboration, Sarah serves as a research advisor on the Research and Development Board at a special school and is Chair of Governors at a local junior school. Her work reflects a deep commitment to creating equitable research and educational environments that empower marginalized communities.