Inclusive Co-research with Experts with Disabilities

Existing co-research methods often limit participation and perpetuate exclusion of highly diverse populations. This chapter introduces an approach to co-design research that is inclusive and supports full participation of individuals with unique or diverse needs. Co-research is presented as having moved from the “design for” perspective to the “design with” perspective, and more recently to the “design by” perspective. Design by means that the population most impacted by the design is supported in creating the design. Inclusive co-design is a mindset that is applied in three ways: appreciating, scaffolding, and keeping (the ASK approach). Appreciating involves recognition of co-researchers as experts in their lived experience. Through scaffolding, co-researchers are supported and given the means to participate fully in the research process. Keeping gives ownership and builds capacity within the co-researchers and their communities in the research process and outcomes. Each of these three aspects are described in detail, building on our own experience from over one hundred inclusive co-design research activities, to provide guidance and approaches to other researchers who want to engage in inclusive co-design research.