Designing an IIR Research Apparatus with Users with Severe Intellectual Disability

Traditional methods of engagement with pre-defined queries, verbal instruction and interviewing do not provide necessary means to address information-seeking behavior and visual browsing for participants with severe autism and intellectual disability. In this paper, we identify challenges and characteristics of providing effective methods to explore visual browsing and video recommender systems with one non-verbal participant with autism and intellectual disability. We contribute a case study and a reflection on a) how iterative design approaches that builds on special interests and strengths of one individual with disability can support experimental IIR research in becoming more inclusive, b) some of the ethical consideration that arise in the tensions between participation in the research and other interests and c) how flexible experimental and apparatus design can further allow participant's terms to prevail.