Role of the “differently-abled” researcher: Challenges and solutions in inclusive research

This article examines the role of the “differently-abled” researcher in facilitating inclusive research with adults (age 16 and older) with intellectual disabilities living in Sami areas of Norway. Topics discussed include challenges that may arise while conducting such research due to the nature of the project (externally-funded pre-existing project), methods applied (quantitative) and people involved (some being of Sami background and some with intellectual disabilities). In this study, for example, the research sponsors had pre-determined both the topic of investigation (i.e. living conditions) and the method (i.e. by questionnaire), without first consulting people of indigenous background. I argue that, although such stipulations and the double-minority status of research participants may pose additional challenges in fully accommodating the ideals of inclusive research, it is possible and sometimes advantageous to use inclusive research designs to conduct studies involving people with intellectual disabilities. In performing such research, an important question is whether people who have experienced discrimination and stigmatisation should be forced to take on identities they are not comfortable with in order to be involved in research about themselves. The article additionally illustrates how to apply an inclusive design in quantitative research while working with pre-existing research projects.RésuméCet article vise à examiner le rôle de la chercheuse sans déf...
Source: ALTER - European Journal of Disability Research - Category: Disability Source Type: research