BEGINNINGS - PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH AND ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL-DISABILITIES

This paper discusses the emergence of Participatory Action Research (P AR), and its use with individuals with cognitive disabilities. A brief history of PAR is given, with a focus on its uses for empowerment and self-determination for persons with disabilities. Using literature-ba sed standards for participatory, action and emancipatory research appr oaches, a 3-year research project with goals of increasing community p articipation by adults with developmental disabilities is described an d evaluated. The ''Transition into Community Life'' project used an ad apted form of the ''Farmer-back-to-Farmer'' PAR model (Rhoades & Booth , 1982), and the article discusses the successes and challenges of the model in a context quite different from how it was originally designe d. The author describes lessons learned concerning the use of PAR with people with developmental disabilities. The article concludes with a brief discussion of the feasibility of PAR with individuals with cogni tive challenges.