Support Network

The caregivers, family members, support workers, teachers, and peers who assist a person with a disability in daily life and in participating in research or design activities. In inclusive co-design with people with intellectual or cognitive disabilities, support networks often act as communication partners, interpreters of preference, and trust anchors, helping co-designers engage meaningfully with researchers. Thoughtful involvement of support networks increases access while introducing risks of proxy bias or dominance that researchers must actively manage.