Ethical Issues in Conducting Research Involving Persons with Disability: A View from the Past and Some New Challenges

Abstract

This paper traces the history of conducting research involving people with disabilities and raises serious questions about the ethics of conducting research. Ethical concerns include treatment of vulnerable populations, lack of informed consent, and benefit versus undue hardship when using people with disabilities as research participants. New technological advances, such as discussions on social media, present some new ethical concerns. Two case studies are presented that illustrate new ethical challenges. Guidelines are proposed that address the right to privacy, anonymity and confidentiality.