Toolkit for Remote Inclusive Research

This strategy can be used for: Data Collection | Choosing a Topic for Research

Gathering data using photographs or video recordings can be more accessible than collecting data using handwritten notes for team members with disabilities. Team members can use cameras to capture images, scenes, people, interactions between people or objects as data.

Team members can record their reflections on data collection by video-recording themselves talking and referencing visual artifacts/data.

Security note: Organizations might limit the type of information research teams are allowed to gather photography and video. Research teams should check with their organization before collecting data using photography and video in the community. Research teams may need to follow procedures to inform community-members who may appear in photographs and videos, even if they are not the research participants.

Modification for remote collaboration

Members of the research team can provide support to each other during community-based data collection on the phone or through phone video apps.
Team members can collect data in their location using their cameras or phones, and upload the files to a secure location for later analysis by the team.

Security note: Organizations might limit the ways that research teams can manage and save audio and video data. Research teams should check with their organization before collecting any audio or video data.

Access Accommodations and Supports

Provide training to make recordings, save recordings, listening to recordings, how to switch from camera to video, how to access videos and photos.
Provide a handout for eliciting permission from community members who may appear in videos or photos (see template).
For individuals with gross or fine motor challenges, physical assistance or adaptive equipment may be needed to press buttons, hold equipment, and charge equipment.
Before data collection, role play the process of asking for permission to collect visual data.

Resources

This document contains information that research teams can give to community members who may appear in photos/videos during data collection: Information template for community members

Tools to explore

Smartphones and tablets have integrated cameras. Here are links for additional tools that can be used with these devices:

Directions for using an iPad Camera
Google Camera is an app that can be downloaded on Android devices to take pictures.

References

Examples of studies using this strategy

Cumming, T. M., Strnadová, I., Knox, M., & Parmenter, T. (2014). Mobile technology in inclusive research: Tools of empowerment. Disability & Society, 29(7), 999–1012. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2014.886556

Kramer, J. M., & Schwartz, A. E. (2018). Development of the Pediatric Disability Inventory-Patient Reported Outcome (PEDI-PRO) measurement conceptual framework and item candidates. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 25(5), 335–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/11038128.2018.1502344

Morgan, M. F., Moni, K. B., & Cuskelly, M. (2015). The development of research skills in young adults with intellectual disability in participatory research. International Journal of Disability, Development, and Education, 62(4), 438–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2015.1028905

Paiewonsky, M. (2011). Hitting the reset button on education: Student reports on going to college. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 34(1), 31–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/0885728811399277

Sitter, K. C., Burke, A. C., Ladhani, S., & Mallay, N. (2019). Supporting positive sexual health for persons with developmental disabilities: Stories about the right to love. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 47, 255– 263. https://doi.org/10.1111/bld.12287

Strnadová, I., Cumming, T. M., Knox, M., & Parmenter, T. (2014). Building an inclusive research team: The importance of team building and skills training. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities : JARID, 27(1), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12076

White, E. L., & Morgan, M. F. (2012). Yes! I am a researcher. The research story of a young adult with Down syndrome. British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(2), 101–108. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-2779-6_129-1

Bigby, C., & Frawley, P. (2010). Reflections on doing inclusive research in the "Making life good in the community" study. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 35(2), 53–61. https://doi.org/10.3109/13668251003716425

Strnadová, I., Walmsley, J., Johnson, K., & Cumming, T. M. (2016). Diverse faces of inclusive research: Reflecting on three research studies. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 18(1), 52–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/15017419.2014.964766

Examples of studies using this accommodation

Di Lorito, C., Bosco, A., Birt, L., & Hassiotis, A. (2018). Co-research with adults with intellectual disability: A systematic review. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 31(5), 669–686. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12435

Kramer, J., Barth, Y., Curtis, K., Livingston, K., O’Neil, M., Smith, Z., Vallier, S., & Wolfe, A. (2013). Involving youth with disabilities in the development and evaluation of a new advocacy training: Project TEAM. Disability and Rehabilitation, 35(7), 614–622. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638288.2012.705218

Kramer, J. M., Garcia-Iriarte, E., Kramer, J. C., & Hammel, J. (2011). Following through to the end: The use of inclusive strategies to analyze and interpret data in participatory action research with individuals with learning disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 24(3), 263–273. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-3148.2010.00602.x

Salmon, N., Carey, E., & Hunt, A. (2014). Research skills for people with intellectual disabilities. Learning Disability Practice, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.7748/ldp2014.03.17.3.27.e1512

Visual Data Collection Methods