Involving People With Intellectual Disabilities Within Research Teams: Lessons Learned from an Irish Experience

A growing body of literature has shed light into the process of conducting research with people with intellectual disabilities (ID). However, there is limited research on the feasibility of conducting research projects including various groups of people with ID, their supporters, and researchers. This paper reviews three studies conducted with these three groups of people in light of their feasibility, the knowledge generated, and their impact on individual and social change. This study used a reflective analysis focused on the main findings from the three studies, focus groups with people with ID and supporters who conducted the research, and interviews with people to whom the findings were disseminated. The analysis suggested that a team approach including active supporters and experienced researchers was critical to their feasibility. The studies generated knowledge particularly on the perspectives of people with ID on their rights. As a result of participation in these studies, some changes at the individual and social levels occurred, but these were relatively limited. The implications of this analysis for future research are discussed in the context of the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.