Case 2B concerns young adults with profound intellectual disability which don’t communicate verbally. The aim of this case is to explore conditions for participation together with persons whose cognitive and communicative capabilities are restricted.

The research question explored is: Which conditions facilitates or hamper the conditions for participation and self-determination in everyday life for people with profound intellectual disability?

Participants in this case are 3-4 young adults with profound intellectual disability, their next of kind, professionals in school or health- and social care services, and user-organisations. The professionals participating are working closely together with the participant with intellectual disability in different services. In addition to this, students from the bachelor programme in social education at VID will also participate. This will be students undertaking practical education/practicum in the actual services to the participants with profound intellectual disability.

Conditions for participation for persons with profound intellectual disability is a highly under-researched area, the need for knowledge and professional competence is massive (Talman 2018; Vorhaus 2016). Former studies emphasize the importance of listening to and get knowledge from next of kind, significant others or proxies who know the person with profound intellectual disability well (Watson & Simmons 2015; Mietola et al 2017 Against this background- data will be gathered by participant observations and dialogue meetings.

Dialogue meetings will be carried out together with the next of kind, the key-professionals who know the person with profound intellectual disability well, researchers and students. Five dialogue meetings will be carried out over a period of 4 semesters during 2019 – 2021. The dialogue meetings will be lead by the researchers, each meeting will have a explicit focus in line with the research question and the progression of the project.

Observations will be carried out throughout the project, in different settings of the everyday life of the participants with profound intellectual disability, and especially in the beginning of the project to create knowledge and trust and to get to know the participants. It will also be carried out before or after the planned dialogue meetings.