Qualitative Interview Training for Researchers with Lived Experience of Disabilities

Involving people with disabilities (researchers with lived experience of disabilities) as members of research teams enhances the relevance of findings; however, existing research provides limited guidance on how to provide inclusive training on qualitative research methods. This brief report provides lessons learned from an inclusive research training focused on conducting qualitative interviews. The training was co-developed through a partnership between university-based researchers and a community-based organization supporting people with disabilities. Two individuals with moderate intellectual or developmental disabilities participated in the training. Following the training and interviews, five debrief sessions were held with all team members to reflect on the training process. Sessions were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed to identify lessons learned. Findings highlight lessons learned before, during, and after the training: (a) ongoing collaboration and clear role-setting with the community partner, (b) providing accessible training materials, (c) establishing trust, (d) including a facilitator, (e) creating space for practice, (f) soliciting ongoing input, (g) finding supportive systems, and (h) conducting pilot tests. Successful inclusive research requires adequate time for practice, trust-building between team members, opportunities for feedback, and developing supportive systems.