A Semi-Structured Approach to Photo Elicitation Methodology for Research Participants With Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Using photo elicitation with participants with intellectual disability is a creative approach to inclusive research as the method promotes research participation. Through the photographs that they take, individuals with intellectual disability convey their thoughts and experiences, without the high cognitive demands that are typical of many other data collection methods. People with intellectual disability rely on environmental support to function optimally in everyday life situations. This is also the case for their functioning in research situations. This article provides a novel contribution to photo elicitation methodology, as we share our experiences from using a semi-structured approach, which offers support and guidance to research participants with intellectual disability in the empirical phase of the research process. We discuss the benefits and challenges such a new approach could introduce. The article concludes that provision of adequate support is a prerequisite for successful research participation for individuals with intellectual disability, and our semi-structured approach offers a suggestion on how to deliver this support.