In reflecting on the title of the special issue: Inclusive Research: A road less or more well-travelled, this paper reviews the strengths of inclusive research that have augmented the global knowledge about the lives of people with intellectual disabilities across the lifespan. The successes of inclusive research are outlined with the respective ongoing individual challenges discussed. Authors will draw upon their own experiences of inclusive research, together with the seminal and current literature, as well as the dialogue between them. The conclusions of the article are in the form of recommendations aimed at increasing the traffic on the road of inclusive research through: 1. expanding its purpose and parameters across all forms of disability research; 2. developing systems for sustaining inclusive research as a funded model; 3. creating capacity to enable people with intellectual disabilities to be employed as researchers directing research projects; and 4. establishing bridges and crossroads with policy and practice through its findings.

Background: Internationally, people with intellectual disability are socially marginalized, and their rights under the United Nations Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) are often ignored.Aims: This paper aims to define the key concerns of adults with an intellectual disability in relation to their participation in society using an inclusive research strategy for both data gathering and data analysis.Methods: A national study involving 23 focus groups and 168 persons was conducted on the island of Ireland with people with intellectual disability as co‐facilitators.Findings: A thematic content analysis was undertaken of the verbatim transcripts initially by university co‐researchers, and 19 themes were identified. Co‐researchers with intellectual disability joined in identifying the eight core themes. These were as follows: living options, employment, relationships, citizenship, leisure time, money management, self‐advocacy, and communication.Discussion: The concerns are discussed within the framework of the CRPD, and implications for transforming service policy are drawn.Accessible Why we did the research: In many countries, people with intellectual disability have difficulties doing things other people without disabilities do, for example to study, to get a job or to live independently. They also find that their rights are not respected under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the Convention).We did this study to: Learn what are the main issues for adults with intellectual disability in Ireland. Do research with people with intellectual disability. How we did the research: People with intellectual disability and their supporters worked with university researchers to plan and do the research. We met with people in groups and 168 people told us about things important to them.What we found out: We found that there were very important things that people talked about in the groups.We chose the most important: living options, employment, relationships, rights, leisure, money, self‐advocacy, and communication. We talk about the Convention and why things people told us are important for services.

Previous research suggests that participation in the arts and/or disability arts can positively influence individuals’ affirmation, or a positive embracement, of a disability identity; however, until more recently, persons with intellectual disabilities have not been included in this research to the same extent as their peers with physical or sensory disabilities. This article contributes to the increasing empirical consideration of intellectual disability identity among professional artists. Data were collected via two focus groups, one with five performing artists and the second with five visual artists, as well as follow-up, individual interviews with 8 of the artists. Key findings were identified via thematic analysis. Findings show affirmation of an intellectual disability identity emerged as a stronger theme among performing artists than visual artists. Additional themes related to confidence development, peer relationships and demonstrations of capability supported the notion that professional art practice can foster the affirmation of an intellectual disability identity.