An exploratory study using cameras and Talking Mats to access the views of young people with learning disabilities on their out‐of‐school activities

Abstract

Summary This paper explores the use of disposable cameras and Talking Mats as research tools to access the views of young people with learning disabilities about their social activities. A pilot study was carried out with nine 16‐year‐old young people in a special school. They were given a single‐use motorized camera. This was used to record the out‐of‐school activities they participated in, both in the home and community, for 1 week. The young people were asked to sort their photographs using Talking Mats symbols. This was followed by parental interviews to check for validity and reliability. The paper reports on the potential use of photography and Talking Mats as research tools with young people with learning disabilities, and how their use may break down some of the language barriers inherent in traditional interview methods. The author discusses some of the practical and methodological issues arising from the study.