A collaborative group method of inclusive research.

Area of Science:

• Intellectual Disability Research
• Inclusive Methodologies
• Collaborative Research Models

Background:

• Growing requirement for inclusive research in Australia and UK for people with intellectual disability.
• Inclusive research, a broad term, encompasses various approaches with ongoing debate on its nature and benefits.
• Defining inclusive research as collaboration between people with intellectual disability and academic researchers.

Observation:

• This study introduces the 'collaborative group' approach to inclusive research.
• The method involves academics and self-advocates working together on research projects.
• Data from field notes, interviews, and meeting transcripts were analyzed inductively.

Findings:

• Five key components of the collaborative group approach were identified.
• These include equally valued shared/distinct purposes and contributions.
• Other components are flexible methods, trusting relationships, dispersed power, and scaffolding for inclusion.

Implications:

• The collaborative group method can yield superior research outcomes compared to solo efforts by academics or self-advocates.
• This approach generates diverse knowledge outcomes with varying accessibility and complexity.
• It fosters improved understanding of the lives of people with intellectual disability.