Using Photovoice to listen to adults with intellectual disabilities on being part of the community

Imagine if you were offered a glance through the lens of a very unique photographer: a member of your community who has an intellectual or developmental disability (ID/DD). A community-based participatory research method, Photovoice, was used to enable seven individuals with ID/DD the opportunity to document their lives through the use of photography and discuss their interests, hopes and dreams. Specifically, this methodology provided them with opportunities to share their concerns about their community access and communicate with the larger community using photographs and the collective ideas of the group. Common themes were revealed among the participants, including their hidden talents, community membership and sense of belonging, consumerism and making choices, desired independence, limited connections to the community and a desire to be treated as adults. Two themes-community membership and desire for independence-are expounded upon, as they appeared to be the most relevant to improving one's quality of life and greater selfdetermination.