Participatory Action Research and People with Disabilities: Principles and Challenges

Abstract

Running Head: Participatory Research Page 2 of 11 interests, and agendas for change. The process has been influenced by social research methods in critical education (e.g., Freire, 1970), anthropology (e.g., Whyte, 1955), and community development (e.g., Falls Borda, 1984). Selener (1997) mentions that pioneers of the PAR movement were dissatisfied with the traditional positivistic research methodology, which looked at people solely as subjects of study, depriving them of any input in the research processoother than responding to the researchersi questions. They also recognized two fundamental problems with traditional research: First, it did not give a voice to the people under study. Second, it was typically observational and driven primarily by theoretical interests with little room for action. These issues are central to the participatory research process that emerged. First, PAR pioneers recognized the need to involve the individuals under study directly in the research endeavor. Second, they proposed that the focus of the research process should be to generate actions aimed at social change. From this new perspective, research is no longer limited to sophisticated observation and manipulation but also includes attempts to transform society and to empower those who are oppressed. While traditional research focuses mostly on advancing knowledge, the goals ofPAR include problem solving, agenda setting, and social change, in addition to advancing community membersi knowledge of their own social reality. .