Snapshots of Life: Perspectives of School-Aged Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

The perspective of children with developmental disabilities regarding what is important is not fully understood due to limited means by which accurate data are collected. Many researchers rely upon teachers, parents, and siblings to provide information regarding the lives of children with developmental disabilities. This study differs from most because primary informants were 15 school-aged individuals with disabilities who took snapshots of that which they reported to be important to them. Their ability to take pictures was examined and themes were determined through content analysis. Results indicate these participants can take usable snapshots, which frequently focus on family; other themes of the photographs included friends, objects, and buildings. This preliminary study suggests that photography may be one way to allow students with developmental disabilities to contribute information regarding what they value in their lives.