Taking down the walls : participatory diagramming with people with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

This dissertation outlines a study carried out with a group of people with intellectual disabilities in Malta. The technique employed was participatory diagramming, which exploits visual and oral methods to represent and disseminate information. People with intellectual disabilities have been marginalised in Western societies and generally ignored in academia, both within disability studies as well as in other disciplines, including human geography. Meanwhile, traditional disability research, being mostly carried out by non-disabled researchers, has ignored the voice of people with disabilities. Researchers have thus been called upon to join disabled people in conducting research which listens to the disabled person鈥檚 voice and is part of the struggle of disabled people to challenge their oppression. Some have, however, contested the ability or willingness of people with disabilities to conduct participatory research. Hence, this study had two overarching aims: to explore whether participatory diagramming works well with people with intellectual disabilities, and whether it is a useful method in brining to the fore issues pertinent to them and mobilising them to act on the solutions identified. Empirically, the study sought to investigate what the impediments in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities with regards to living independently are. The topic, identified by the participants themselves, comprised three main aspects: control from family members, inaccessibility of public transport, and engaging in romantic relationships, marriage and parenting. The dissertation explores the causes, effects and solutions to the barriers identified by the participants with regards to leading a lifestyle of their choice, and the successes and pitfalls of the research process engaged in with the participants, from brainstorming and developing the research questions, to the diagramming, analysis and the dissemination of the research results.