Intellectual disability and participation in digital technology design activities: A catalyst for social inclusion

Mugula Chris Safari will defend his thesis Intellectual disability and participation in digital technology design activities: A catalyst for social inclusion 19 December 2023.  

Summary of the thesis:

Social inclusion is a central goal in welfare policies and an essential determinantof people's health and well-being. This doctoral thesis aims to investigate how participation in the design of digital technology can contribute to the social inclusion of young adults with intellectual disability. This dissertation explores 1) how young adults and adults with intellectual disability experience participation in the design of digital technology and 2) how young adults and adults with intellectual disability can be supported to enable participation in the design of digital technology.

The thesis consists of four independent studies. Paper I reports on how young adults with intellectual disabilities experienced participating in the design of a transport support application. Paper II uses Ryan and Deci’s Self-Determination Theory as a theoretical framework to explore what motivates young adults with intellectual disabilities to participate in digital technology design activities. The third paper explores facilitators’ experiences of supporting adults and young adults with intellectual disabilities during digital technology design activities. Lastly, paper IV reports and reflects on the use of photovoice as a method to understand user needs and to empower participants with intellectual disability in digital technology design.

Regarding experiences of participation, the findings suggest that participation in digital technology design activities can initiate positive emotions, encourage positive behaviours, and foster the development of new skills for young adults and adults with intellectual disability. Concerning facilitation of technology design activities for people with intellectual disability, this thesis shows that creative methods, such as photovoice, can strengthen the participants’ ability to cope with the demands of participating in digital technology design activities. Moreover, while supporting people with intellectual disability can be difficult and complex, facilitators can also enhance their competence and skills during such activities. Facilitators in design activities need both individual and structural support when supporting people with intellectual disability. Furthermore, the interactions between different stakeholders in digital technology design activities can have broader impacts in terms of a shift in perceptions of marginalised groups.

In sum, by defining social inclusion as the interaction between interpersonal relationships and community participation, this thesis argues that participation in digital technology design activities can potentially enable and support the social inclusion of people with intellectual disability.

Find more information about the time and place for the doctoral defense.