Lessons Learned From Research Collaboration Among People With and Without Developmental Disabilities

Area of Science:

• Disability Studies
• Community-Based Participatory Research
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Meaningful involvement of individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) in research is infrequent.
• Limited guidance exists on equitable collaboration between researchers with and without DD.
• Effective interventions for transition-aged youth with disabilities require inclusive research practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To share lessons learned from a collaborative research study involving researchers with and without DD.
• To provide guidance on equitable collaboration in research with the DD community.
• To examine the effectiveness of a civic engagement intervention for transition-aged youth with disabilities.

Main Methods:

• Employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative research.
• Focused on collaboration between researchers with and without DD.
• Developed and evaluated a civic engagement intervention for transition-aged youth with disabilities.

Main Results:

• Detailed strategies for compensating researchers with DD.
• Clarified team roles and leveraged diverse expertise.
• Successfully integrated technology to support collaboration and intervention delivery.

Conclusions:

• Equitable collaboration with individuals with DD is feasible and beneficial.
• This study offers practical guidance for inclusive research practices.
• The findings support the development of effective civic engagement interventions for youth with disabilities.