Trinity College, Dublin has launched Digi-ID, a digital skills education program to support the health and social inclusion of adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). The project is aimed at improving the usage of digital technologies among people with ID.
Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the importance of e-health applications has risen significantly. People with ID often face difficulties in communicating with healthcare providers. In such a scenario, without basic digital skills, they are likely to miss out on better health and wellbeing.
Digi-ID addresses this issue by empowering people with ID with the necessary knowledge and confidence to manage their health and social inclusion needs. This is achieved through a co-creation process, in which adults with ID will be provided with an innovative digital skills education program, delivered via an easily accessible app.
Recently, an online event was organized by the project team and led by the Principal Investigator of Digi-ID, Dr Esther Murphy. Also in attendance at the event were the members of the Citizen Advisory Panel (CAP). The panel, made up of seven people with intellectual disabilities, is the true voice of the project and is closely involved in all key decision-making. They are also responsible for delivering short video tutorials on priority topics that are identified during the focus group discussions.
Fionn Angus, a part of the CAP, said at the event, “It is important that people like me are included in the research. When we help each other we all learn much more.”
Dr Murphy explained, “We have pushed the co-creation process to an optimum level, through supports and coaching to enable CAP members to become our ‘digital educators’. This demonstrates the power and potential of people with intellectual disability to be the ‘face’ and ‘voice’ of our Digi-ID accessible education program.”
The online webinar event can be accessed here.
