Using video technology in emancipatory research

The writers of this paper are currently engaged in research concerning the lives of young adults who are multi-sensory impaired; they are particularly interested in the areas of communication and the development of meaningful relationships. Part of their fieldwork has involved the use of video recordings. The paper considers the use of video technology in qualitative research, together with the technical issues and ethical sensitivities which might be involved. The issue of emancipatory research is explored, with a particular focus on how this might be applied to research with people who have pronounced and complex disabilities and who use modes of communication which are idiosyncratic and mainly non-verbal. Finally, the writers describe their own work-in-progress in this area.