Project Capabilities enables adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) to produce self-advocacy videos about their capabilities. The project is built on the capabilities approach developed by Sen (1992) and Nussbaum (2000), which focuses on what people are effectively able to do (Robeyns, 2005), rather than emphasizing limitations or locating disability exclusively in the social environment (Terzi, 2005). We interviewed eight adults with ID in a process of community integration using action research methodologies to engage participants to identify capabilities. We filmed the participants speaking about and demonstrating their capabilities. The videos were made publicly available on a moderated forum, and we analyzed participant reactions to the study through a structured interview process. Preliminary results show that self-advocacy videos have the potential to generate feelings of self-efficacy among adults with ID. By celebrating what adults with ID can do, the study encourages community integration. Making the videos available to the public further reduces community stigma.

1. Using technologies to develop capabilities with
people living with intellectual disabilities
Symposium: Pedagogical differentiation practices and diversity in social-
educational contexts
Ann-Louise Davidson
Christina Hannum
Stefanie Corona

2. Context
Deinstitutionalization movement
Life in the XXI century
Digital technologies have become an important aspect of our lives
(technological competencies= sine qua non)
Daily living skills, cost of living, health, food security, etc.

3. Context
Learning opportunities in cyber space:
Social networks
Video sharing sites
Photo sharing
News
Games

4. Tools and
technologies
Need
Tool Capability
Leisure and
consumption
TV
Zapper
Hypnosis
vs

5. The banking concept of education
-Freire
It doesn’t matter if you
don’t know how this applies
to real life at the moment.
Learn it and you will know
why later.

6. The banking concept of education
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Social mediaBlablabla
Computers
Information
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7. The banking concept of education
-Freire
It doesnʼt have to be that way
How to differentiate pedagogy with technology?
Letʼs face reality...

8. Using technology for people living with ID
Video-based intervention can help people with ID develop a wide
range of socially significant behaviours (Bellini & Akullian, 2007;
Delano, 2007; McCoy & Hermansen, 2007; Mechling, Gast &
Field, 2008; Rayner, Denholm & Sigafoos, 2009)
• Video modelling
• Video self-modelling
• Video prompting
• Video priming
• Learning objects

9. Capability approach (Sen, 1992)
Activities that human beings can
undertake
Beings and doings
Substantive freedoms (to do or to be)
ex. The ability to transform
resources into valuable activities
ex. Distribution of opportunities
ex. Balance between materialistic
and non materialistic factors
Focus on what people can do rather
than focus on their deficits (Terzi,
2005)
Starving vs Fasting
Choice
Nochoice
Functionings

10. Central capabilities (Nussbaum, 2000)
Being able to:
Live to old age
Have a good health
Move freely and safely
Use the senses
Have attachments
Form a conception of the good
Have affiliations
Have a concern for other species
Being able to have good times
Being able to participate in political choices
and to hold property or goods

11. Research objectives
Document the co-development of
capabilities videos with people living
with an intellectual disability
Study the advantages and
challenges of co-producing such
artifacts with this population

12. Methodology
Ten individuals with mild or moderate
intellectual disabilities
Geographical dispersion
Three step collaborative action-research
Individual interview -capability
planning
Demonstration or speech about the
capability (video shoot)
Focus group to discuss the
capabilities
Plan
Act
Reflect
Plan
Act
Reflect
Plan
Act
Reflect

13. Results
Which capabilities?
Get paid jobs
Practice a sport
Win a prize
Compete in an event
Use technologies
Play a music instrument
Paint
Get involved in the community

14. Results
Share existing capabilities vs share the thought of developing the
capability
How to talk about capabilities?
Create rapport
Individual interviewing techniques
F2F: use iPads and smartphones to record
Distance: record on screen
What do these capabilities mean?
Become a fully fledged citizen
Participate to all spheres of activities
Develop specific “functionings”

15. Conclusion
Preliminary results show that self-advocacy videos have the potential to
generate feelings of self-efficacy among adults with ID. By celebrating
what adults with ID can do, the study encourages community integration.
Making the videos available to the public further reduces community
stigma.
Contribution for practice
Production of adapted resources for intervention in ID
Empowerment for participants
Technological skills
Contribution for education
Development of VBI intervention and the use of technology in an
empowerment perspective for populations with special needs
Limitations of the study
Transferability
Generalizability