2015 TASH Conference

We share research from four projects at Portland State University: 1. a healthcare toolkit for autistic adults; 2. a study on violence, health, and disability among people with developmental disabilities; 3. a cross-disability computer-based violence awareness and prevention program; and 4. a study exploring experiences of autistic women and women with intellectual disabilities around pregnancy. These studies address topics relevant to self-advocates, collected self-report data, and intend findings for self-advocates, providers/educators, and academics. These studies are uniquely relevant to this year's theme as they include self-advocates as co-researchers; we stand at the forefront of progressive leadership in inclusive research. This symposium shares research from four projects at Portland State University. These studies address topics relevant to self-advocates, collected data directly from self-advocates, and intend findings to be of use to self-advocates and providers/educators as well as to scientists and academics. These studies are uniquely relevant to this year's theme as they include self-advocates as co-researchers; we stand at the forefront of progressive leadership in inclusive research.

First we will share the findings of our studies and highlight the ways in which they are of practical use for self-advocates and providers/educators. Then we will relate the projects together through their participatory action research approach to inquiry. Participatory action research places the people research is traditionally "about" in the position of active collaborators--the research is conducted "with" them. "Action" mandates that the research be for the purpose of doing something that positively impacts the people the research is "about." Our work presents some of the first applications of participatory research with people with significant disabilities. We will share what we have learned with other self-advocates and academics.

As a result of this session participants will be able to
a) identify the importance of including people with disabilities in research as researchers and as study participants,
b) identify three different models for including people with disabilities in research,
c) understand the findings to date of four inclusive research projects at Portland State University: 1. a healthcare toolkit for autistic people, 2. a study on violence victimization, health, and disability among people with developmental disabilities, 3. a cross-disability computer-based violence awareness and prevention program, and 4. a study about the experiences of autistic women and women with intellectual disabilities around pregnancy and pregnancy decisions,
d) identify potential ways to use findings and resources from completed studies in their own lives.