Including People Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Qualitative Research : Can You Hear Us?
Journal article
Walsh, Megan, Harman, Isobel, Manning, Penny, Ponza, Brenton, Wong, Shirley, Shaw, Brodie, Sellwood, Darryl, Anderson, Kate, Reddihough, Dinah and Wallen, Margaret. (2024). Including People Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication in Qualitative Research : Can You Hear Us? International Journal of Qualitative Methods. 23, pp. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069241234190
Authors | Walsh, Megan, Harman, Isobel, Manning, Penny, Ponza, Brenton, Wong, Shirley, Shaw, Brodie, Sellwood, Darryl, Anderson, Kate, Reddihough, Dinah and Wallen, Margaret |
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Abstract | People who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) are frequently excluded from research, yet their voices can significantly enhance the applicability, acceptability, and translation of qualitative research findings. Accessible and adapted research methods welcome and empower participants who use AAC, and enable meaningful involvement. In this article, we describe the collaborative development of a framework to conceptualise inclusive research and aspects of an accompanying inclusive research toolkit. The framework identifies balancing power as a critical factor, primarily achieved by ensuring that research methods and materials are accessible to people who use AAC. We propose that this is achieved through three interacting elements: collaboration with AAC users, skills and knowledge to achieve accessibility, and ensuring adequate time is available to achieve involvement. We identify five areas where applying these elements has impact for AAC users: recruiting AAC users, working with communication supporters, adapting research methods, securing ethics approval, and consent. In presenting the framework, we demonstrate how qualitative researchers can foster a research environment that values and actively includes AAC users, ultimately advancing the field towards more comprehensive and inclusive research practices. While our work is situated in the cerebral palsy and AAC communities, our proposed framework and toolkit can be applied by researchers seeking perspectives from individuals with communication disabilities more broadly. We have created a corresponding plain language video of this article as an additional means of optimising accessibility of the content. |
Keywords | augmentative and alternative communication users; inclusive research; consumer involvement; complex communication needs |
Year | 01 Jan 2024 |
Journal | International Journal of Qualitative Methods |
Journal citation | 23, pp. 1-13 |
Publisher | Sage Publications Ltd. (UK) |
ISSN | 1609-4069 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069241234190 |
Web address (URL) | https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/16094069241234190 |
Open access | Open access |
Research or scholarly | Research |
Page range | 1-13 |
Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
Output status | Published |
Publication dates | |
Online | 20 Feb 2024 |
Publication process dates | |
Deposited | 05 Sep 2024 |
Supplemental file | License File Access Level Open |
Additional information | © The Author(s) 2024. |
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). | |
Place of publication | United Kingdom |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/90y04/including-people-who-use-augmentative-and-alternative-communication-in-qualitative-research-can-you-hear-us
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Publisher's version
OA_Wallen_2024_Including_people_who_use_augmentative_and.pdf | |
License: CC BY-NC 4.0 | |
File access level: Open |
Supplemental file
SM_Wallen_2024_Including_people_who_use_augmentative_and.pdf | |
License: CC BY-NC 4.0 | |
File access level: Open |
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