Karen feels the research had an effect on staff. It seemed to make them uncomfortable and, as a consequence, may have distanced them from the research. She feels partly responsible for this reaction or lack of reaction. Better information and persistence on her part might have had different results. After a few surprising incidents early in the project she struggled to find a safe way to discuss the research among co-workers throughout the project. She never felt she found the right approach.

The effects of the research on the women is not clear. Karen tried twice to discuss the research with the women; at the beginning of the program and again near the end. It was also mentioned occasionally throughout the program. The learners didn't seem interested because, Karen suspects, it wasn't meaningful to them. Karen felt she and the learners lacked common ground and language within which to discuss the research. To talk about "women," Karen and the learners talked about concrete experiences around health, housework, and family.

The class participated in community activities outside the program, more than in other years. For example, the women held two dances at the school gym. Afterwards, one woman talked about how she could take a leadership role in the community and make changes where she saw a need for change. All the women involved felt positive about others seeing them as powerful and in charge at the dance.

The class attended and talked about some community events. The effect on the learners is unclear, but the class did provide a forum to discuss and reflect on the events around them. This is the fourth year of the women's program and the overall effects of this year were similar for learners in previous years. In particular, the element of continuity became evident in a few women's lives who have been connected to the program since the beginning. The overall effects on learners can be described as:

• learners and instructor grew with the support and safety of the community they created among themselves in the program;
• learners developed new connections with the larger community, tapping into resources, developing their identity, gaining new knowledge; .
• learners acquired more math and English skills.

The overall effect is empowerment.

Karen wrote a short story, "DIS/COVER," as her documentation of what happened during the research process. Shortly after, she moved from Arviat to Yellowknife and sent her story to Joy Suluk as part of the final research process. When Joy read the story she felt very upset. She called Betty-Ann and then Karen. All three women wanted to arrange a teleconference to talk about what should happen next.