The Power and Flexibility of Photovoice: Engaging Youth With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Multiple Contexts

• In Event: Saturday Roundtable Session 1:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Multimodal Approaches to Engaging the Perspectives and Experiences of Disabled Young People (Table 26)

Abstract

Photovoice is a research method through which stakeholders collect data about a phenomenon by taking pictures and describing the meaning behind the images. It is also a powerful research tool that allows participants to communicate their thoughts and lived experiences in a creative, accessible way. Here, we describe and compare the use of photovoice in a virtual and classroom setting to demonstrate the flexibility of photovoice for engaging youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in research. Through taking a community-based participatory approach, these two photovoice studies help us a) understand transition and employment practices for youth with IDD and b) help youth explore employment goals and barriers in the community and gain self-advocacy skills.

Authors

• Molly L. Taylor, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Seb Pron, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Richard Chapman, University of South Florida - Tampa